Knights of the Round Table
by DarthBiber
Summary: Merlin was an descended Alteran, who decided to break all rules to give the fleshlings a chance for survival. But who were King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table who could have held the trust and friendship of a being that wise and powerful.  Abandoned!
1. 1 Prologue

**Summary: **Merlin was an descended Alteran, who decided to break all rules to give the fleshlings a chance for survival. But who were King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table who could have held the trust and friendship of a being that wise and powerful.

Knights of the Round Table

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

_During the Protected Planets Treaty, Season 3, Epsode 3 "Fair Game"_

_Yu: We accept the apology of the human representative and agree to hear the Asgard proposal._

_Thor:In return for Earth's inclusion in the Protected Planets Treaty, Addendum 10815, the Asgard will allow Goa'uld access to the passage of Nilor._

_Yu:According to Treaty Law Section 326, no human planet will be allowed to advance technologically to a point where they may become a threat to the Goa'uld._

_Thor: You are correct._

_Nirrti: Definition of such threat shall rest solely in the hands of the Goa'uld System Lords._

With a sign, Colonel Jack O'Neill, with two L if you please, looked around the room in disbelief. Apparently, this really was getting them nowhere. This last amendment especially seemed completely unacceptable to him. Before he had a chance to react, however, he heard the door open, revealing, much to the bored Colonel's surprise, General Hammond and the President himself standing in the doorway. Behind them, four Secret Service Agents looked distinctively uncomfortable without their weapons in a room full of potential threats. For the first time that day, Jack O'Neill allowed himself a smile. It seemed the matter was deemed to important for his meager diplomatic skills and the government decided to sent a replacement or at least a co-chair. Strangely enough, the Colonels first thought was whether or not there was any pie still left in the Cafeteria.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, " General Hammond began, " allow me to introduce the President of the United States of America, Gene Glassner, the leader of my people. Mr President, Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard High Council and Lady Nirrti, Lord Cronus and Lord Yu of the Goa'uld System Lords, as well as Colonel Jack O'Neill of SG1."

While Jack nodded politely and wondered what the hell was going on, President Glassner stepped forward slightly ( causing the Secret Service Agents in the background stiffen even further - apparently they had read reports on a Goa'uld's increased strength and speed) and turned greeted the table. "My Lady, My Lords, Supreme Commander, Colonel; I apologize for the disruption, but I'm afraid our situation might have changed."

Turning to Thor, he continued: " Supreme Commander, if I could impose on you for a question? How would you describe the military advancements of the Goa'uld in the last, let's say thousand years?"

For a moment, Thor, and everyone else simply stared at the President unblinking, wondering just what he was aiming at. Then, with the Asgard's typical sense of order, Thor began his analysis:

"On Average, shield strength has increased 17 percent, weapon output 12 percent and sublight speeds 21percent. Just recently, with the conquest of the Jambadjin, Hyperspace speeds increased by a factor of almost one hundred. The biggest advancement, however, is that of numbers. While the Goa'uld population seems to have capped of about 70 years ago, the number of Jaffa is growing constantly, as is the number of Ha'taks and other ships."

President Glassner surveyed the room for a moment before turning back to the small sitting alien. "So modern Ha'taks still are no match for Asgard technology, even that of, let's say, a thousand Earth-years ago?"

For a moment, Jack could have sworn Thor was going to start laughing. Instead, he answered with a short "That is correct. I fail to see the relevance of all this, however. Earth does not have Asgard technology, not even technology this old."

Jack nervously glanced over at the three seated snakes. He had expected them to start protesting this interview long ago, but so far, they seemed to be as stunned by these proceedings as he was. At that moment, however, the President uttered the words that would break loose hell.

"Supreme Commander, I'd like to apologize for wasting your time here." Turning to the three Goa'uld, he continued "It is only my deepest respect for our friends the Asgard that prevent me from having you arrested and tried right now. The Goa'uld have proven before that they can not be trusted not to break any contract they sign. You will be sent to a planet of your choosing via the Stargate. Rest assured, though, that this is the last time you will be allowed to leave Earth alive."

For one moment, stunned silence hung in the room, before all three Goa'uld sprung to their feet to protest this treatment, while Jack O'Neill and General Hammond moved towards the President to find out what he was thinking and to stop him from condemning the people of Earth to death or slavery.

President Glassner, meanwhile, turned to back to where Thor still sat, watching the proceedings in what appeared to be uncharacteristically stunned silence.

"Supreme Commander. Earlier this week, you mentioned an enemy far worse than the Goa'uld. Were you talking about the Replicators?".

When Thor inclined his head slightly to confirm, Glassner continued: " I am task to inform you that old friendships run deep. As soon as possible, lightning shall join again and their enemies shall cower in fear." For a moment, Jack wondered whether or not the President went totally bonkers now, but judging by the widening of Thor's eyes, their slight gleam, and his nod of acceptance, Thor seemed to have understood the message.

"With all due respect, Mister President, " Colonel O'Neill began carefully when the three System Lords were brought out of the room, "but we wanted this treaty to happen since there is nothing Earth can do to prevent an Goa'uld invasion currently. And I'm pretty sure they won't take being commanded around like you just did lying down. In fact, if I were to guess, we are going to have an attack fleet in orbit within a couple of months."

"That's what we are hoping for, actually."

Jack O'Neill still stood there, staring at the spot the President had been by the time Glassner left the room.

.

**1 Week Before**

_Season 1, Episode 17, "Enigma" shifted to the beginning of Season 2_

With wide eyes, Ambassador Arthur Winchester looked down at his cell phone. Appearing to be in his early fifties, with just the beginning of a potbelly, light brown hair and blue eyes, Arthur was currently serving as the British Ambassador to the United States of America, by request of her Majesty, Queen Elisabeth herself. Well, actually he had asked Liz, as he liked to call her, to appoint him. As much as he loathed politics sometimes, it was imperative to have as many people as possible in proximity of the US government.

The darkening of his display shook Arthur out of his thoughts. Quickly, he reactivated his cellphone to confirm he read his last text message correctly.

"Hyperspace communication pulse detected in Colorado Springs at 19:27 local time. GPS 38.730397,-104.832338. Be advised: NORAD and Air Force Base in close proximity." A little green dot in the upper right corner of the screen lastly confirmed what he already knew. This message was not a normal text message via radio frequencies. It was transmitted directly through subspace from England, making its content completely private.

Luckily, he had taken a short day and returned home from the office early in order to clean up his little condo on the outskirts of Washington and maybe enjoy the last days of summer by taking a little swim in the Occoquam Bay right behind the house. He had, after all, fought hard to gain his freedom away from Capitol Hill and their security force. Instead of relaxing, though, Arthur quickly confirmed the message before laying his palm onto the mirror in his hallway.

For a moment, the surface seemed to melt before forming a whole in the middle, just big enough for a small screen offering a variety of functions. Choosing 'Hangar' caused the tile he was standing on to start moving down.

In the small, artificial cave underneath his condo, bathed in a dim blue light, stood a sleek, futuristic looking, fairly flat, one meter wide and 3 Meter high craft. In the center, a man sized transparent bubble was opened for entrance, and functioned as cockpit. Two long tubes traveled along either side of the craft, ending in a ion-firing weapon system on the front, and an ion drive in the back of the craft. Strangely enough, the whole craft seemed to be made from a single piece, with no weldseams visible. In front of the SMDP or "Single Man Drop Pod", the last rays of sunshine shimmered through the water of the bay, held back by a light blue glowing forcefield.

Arthur, however, ignored the craft in favor of the back wall, where he changed out of his suit and into a black outfit with quick, confident movements, that did not seem bothered by the cave's relative darkness at all. He quickly filled up his utility vest with various tools from his wall and lastly fixed two bracer onto either arm, before finally turning to his craft.

With his back to the craft, he easily found the two steps in the craft, placed his feet inside, and, after checking the room for anything he forgot, reached for two handles over his head.

Immediately, the bubble closed up, the twin engines began to glow white-blue, and various information appeared all over the cockpit, displaying position, course, altitude, and communications to the pilot.

With a quick pull on the both handles, the SMDP dropped forwards and started to hover parallel to the ground. Then, Arthur thrust both arms forward and accelerated out of the cave and right through the forcefield before shimmering for a moment and finally fading from view moments before he reached through the water's surface, not even a splash announcing his departure.

In the living room, the grandfather clock rang half past seven. No more than two minutes had passed since Arthur's cell first rang.

.

2400km away, and 45 Minuets later, another shimmer accompanied the pods reappearance in the night sky, just before it touched down on a little clearing in the Cheyenne Mountain State Park.

With a grimace, Arthur removed his hands from the handles, popped his shoulder joints, and stepped out of the opening cockpit. While the SMDP was one of the smallest, stealthiest and even fastest crafts they had available, it certainly was not the most comfortable one. It was, after all, originally intended for emergency use and short combat drops only.

Light shone from his right bracer and moved across the floor. It was easy to see several sets of footprints running over the hill, some of them, including several standard issued military boots, were days old, but two prints were fresh, most likely belonging to whoever sent a message here.

While his craft once again faded from sight, Arthur began a light jog following the footprints. Due to all the military boots, he was already pretty sure he'd end up somewhere with the military, so it was just a matter of finding the right base and building.

Half a kilometer into the forest, the Ambassador stopped in front of a wall of solid stone, staring at the footprints disappearing into it. The pair had stopped for a moment before, apparently, walking right through the stone. A small display on his left bracer told Arthur what he already suspected. There was a military base right behind this wall - the Cheyenne Mountain base, home of NORAD.

While opening a hyperspace window certainly was still a few steps ahead of the scientific understanding of Earth, phase shifting technology was something far, far more advanced. This certainly was not the Goa'uld's doing. Arthur's curiosity was certainly peaked.

With a quick mental command to his bracer, Arthur faded from sight and walked ahead through the wall, while at the same time activating his scanner to search for Naquada and several of it's isotopes usually not found on Earth.

Twenty Five levels down, Arthur finally found a a good dozen sources of trinium isotopes, spread throughout an area of about 20 square meters. Stepping through another concrete wall, he arrived in a usual, spartan, military bunker room, where he was surprised to see a group of people dressed in futuristic silver, not the white lab coats of a random scientist. The one notable exception was a single man standing in army green on the outskirts of the group. Apparently, they were just about to leave.

Arthur contemplated dropping his cloak and making his presence known, but had just decided against it when a young man in silver stepped away from the group and obviously began searching the area where Arthur stood.

"Show yourself. I can feel you standing there."

'Feel?' Arthur wondered. As advanced as these people seemed to be, he did not think they would put a lot of stock into their instincts, no matter how accurate they were in this case. For the first time since arriving, Arthur allowed his mind to extend, only to touch another, familiar mind nearby. One he had not felt in a long, long time.

"Father?" The young man standing before him seemed to be as shocked as he was. That, at least, was a relief. Finally, after resuming his original form, Arthur allowed himself to become visible again, standing at roughly 25 years of age, in the prime of his youth, with a light, golden complexion and dark hair and eyes.

After a moment of hesitation, he pulled the younger man into a firm hug, holding on desperately.

"We had given up hope to ever find you again, son. It has been way too long. Is your mother with you, as well?" Arthur asked, his eyes darting around the room and finding the female occupants. He was aware he was acting unprofessionally, but in this one case, he'd think it was justified.

Immediately, the young man embraced his father. "She is on our home world, still. Our trip here was not exactly planned. In fact, I was not even sure this really was Tau'ri. They always called the planed 'Earth' and it has been so long since I last saw it's stars."

"But, then, how did you get here? As happy as I am to see you, we are not allowed to leave this planet. In fact, we are not even allowed to do anything with the stars but look at them. It is the price of humanity's freedom."

"Through the Chappa'ai, of course. I thought you wanted to bury it, though."

"We did, and we guarded it for a long time. Ever since we lost you."

"Well, there is an active one a couple of meters under our feet, somewhere this way. And humans from Earth brought us here when they found us on Tollan, unconscious, when we were trying to evacuate."

The clearing of a throat finally startled the pair into silence. Turning, the two man found an elderly man in white, as well as the man in army green standing right behind them. Both seemed to be surprised by the sudden appearance of the obviously advanced being, as well as by their companions apparent familiarity with it.

"Officer Shran. What is going on here? Don't forget, no matter what technology they use, you can not tell these primitives anything. And we really have to go, these Nox could be coming any moment now." The elderly man was the first to speak.

Shran seemed to be sorry when he turned back to Arthur. "There seem to be people here intending on finding out our secrets. We have to go. We were told the Nox would be advanced enough to house us until we can find a way home."

Finally, Doctor Daniel Jackson seemed to have come to a decision what to do. While invisible people appearing was not something unusual at Stargate Command, Earthlings appearing and apparently knowing a group of secretive, advanced aliens while he was committing treason was a situation he had not been in before. Turning to Omac, he explained:

"They should be. As I told you before, they called us young and had some fairly advanced technology. They are also extremely peaceful, to the point of sacrificing themselves rather then fighting, so you should not have any problems keeping your neutrality." All the while, though, he kept glancing over at Arthur in complete disbelieve.

"I recognize that face. Dr Jackson, I knew we should have kept a close eye on you after these articles, but when you disappeared after being laughed out of every University this country has, we figured you were safe." Turning Omac, he went on "That does sound like the Nox I heard about. If they are, you definitively can not complain about them being not advanced enough. They have been traveling the galaxies since long before the first humans started walking four million years ago."

Finally, Arthur turned back to his son. "Go, for now, you should not even be here. If I am right, however, we should see each other soon. It seems to me like things are beginning to move here soon. I missed you, son, and love you. And please give your mother my love."

While both Shran and Daniel stood, staring at Arthur, Omac began to organize the group of Tollans for departure. With one last, lingering, embrace, Arthur stepped back from his son and nodded him towards the group. When he was alone in the room once more, he pulled out his cell phone and entered a long combination of numbers.

"This is Arthur, authorization code Avalon-Alpha-Zero-Zero-One, High Lord of Avalon, calling all Knights of the Round Table. Meet me at Avalon immediately. The Americans have an active Chappa'ai. I repeat, the Chappa'ai is open."

With one last looked around, he assumed his 'Ambassador' look once again before fading from view to begin the track to his craft. He had to get to England. There was lots to do.

In the opposite corner of the room, the status light of the room's security camera blinked apocalypticly.


	2. 2 Unbelievable

**Chapter 2: Unbelievable**

_Washington DC, 3 days later_

With a distinctively bad feeling, Arthur approached the security passage to the inner sanctuary of the White House. When he had returned from England the next morning, after having spent the night briefing the others and planning their next course of action, moving all available knights to try to get into the Stargate Program, he had come home to find a call from the White House waiting on his answering machine. Apparently, he was wanted once again. Since no armed guards were trying to kick in his front door and arrest him, he had assumed word of his retirement had reached the Oval Office already, not of his breaking and entering into a top secret military base. The US government itself was no longer the main priority of Avalon.

Now, however, he was not that sure anymore. He could not find the President's personal aid, anywhere, and normally, he was always close by to supply some coffee and biscuits, at least. It also would have helped subdue Arthur's worries to have another Knight nearby, possibly with some new insights into the situation.

Finally, his guide reached the already open doors of the Oval Office. President Gene Glassner sat behind his desk, staring at him directly and, apparently, waiting just for him. Arthur's worries exploded. Normally, he had to wait for the President to finish whatever he was doing before being allowed to enter. The President of the United States of America, could, after all, not just waste time, twiddling his thumbs, waiting for Arthur to park his car.

The President himself was steadily looking older as the years passed, having left the magical 60 year mark behind several years ago. Additionally, he had no easy term of service recently, with several conflicts in the Middle East and Africa demanding constant attention from the 'Leader of the Free World'. Still, even with all the trouble, Gene Glassner's eyes had not lost their spark. They shone with an intelligence and wisdom that made him actually seem worthy of the desk he sat behind and claimed as his own.

Upon entering, Arthur allowed himself a small smile. Over the Presidents two periods in government, the two of them had assumed an easy working relationship, maybe even a solid friendship. Today, however, President Glassner's face seemed unreadable, even to the seasoned politician.

"Ambassador, please, have a seat. I heard you are going to leave us and politics behind."

After the initial pleasantries were exchanged and Arthur had rattled of his set of excuses for his decision– his health, age, family and stress – and just as Arthur was beginning to relax and allowed his worries to disappear, the Presidents face hardened and his tone started to scream 'business'.

"Well, I'm afraid there is one last request I have to make of you, though. As much as I'd love to give you a couple of light last weeks, this simply can not wait for you to find a replacement and for him to get to work. And quite frankly, this is one thing which, I think, is your area of expertise exactly."

Immediately, Arthur stiffened his position as well. "Of course, Mr President. Please, what can I do for you?"

With a sigh, President Glassner reached for a file on the edge of his desk, one carrying the seal of the US Department of Defense and a big, read TOPSECRET stamp, before nodding Arthur's attention towards the newly revealed television set.

"Well, you see, there was an incident at our probably most secret military facility. I had hoped you could shed some light here."

Arthur sat frozen in shock, staring at the screen where a loop was playing, showing his face morphing before fading from view. It would seem he had not been as careful as he thought, and even more affected then he initially believed. It had been a while since he allowed his guard to slip enough to be caught on tape.

Extending his mind more actively, he found Knight Charles two rooms down. After the events of three days ago, they had already suspected this situation would have to happen, although they had hoped for a little bit more time.

Returning his attention to the President, Arthur wondered just why he even had a chance to explain himself. He suspected the President feared the political consequences of executing a British Ambassador, which, of course, is the only possible sentence for treason. Maybe it was the level of technology he had shown Doctor Jackson before that as well, though.

As if reading Arthur's mind, the President explained. "You know, several of my advisors have recommended your immediate capture and interrogation as a suspected spy and terrorist. It was only your years of dedicated service that convinced me to at least give you a chance to explain yourself."

At that moment, the side door opened and Charles stepped into the room, carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. Unsurprisingly, the President looked startled, maybe even slightly angry at the interruption and fearfully glanced on the screen next to the door. Charles seemed obvious to his boss's anger and the top-secret project discussed and quietly began serving tea. Finally, he looked up and met the President's eye.

"Sorry sir, this won't take but a moment more, then I'll leave you to talk in here."

Straightening himself, Charles pulled on the cord around his neck before turning to Arthur and handing him the small key hanging on it. With a last nod to the two politicians, he left the room. Finally, everything was in place and Arthur looked up to focus on the President once more.

"What I am about to tell you, Mr President, is a both unbelievable and unbelievably long story. I do hope there is nothing else you wanted to do today, since the fallout of this might just take the last year of your Presidency."

Inwardly, Arthur enjoyed the President's surprised look, even more so when he handed over the small key.

"First of all, though, you are probably going to need some insurance that what I'm about to tell you is true. Since I suspect there is nothing I could say to ease your mind, I'll pass this one over to some of your predecessors." If anything, President Glassner looked even more startled. Inwardly, Arthur admired the level of mental control the President showed, especially since this meeting was probably not going as planned at all. He suspected most people would have had their mouth hanging open by now, considering the amount of disrespect he was currently showing the world's possibly most powerful man.

With a grin, Arthur stood and walked over to the cabinet on the President opposite left wall and pulled out a small lock box made of dark wood. Finally, President Glassner seemed to be understanding just what was going on here and took the box to insert the key he was given.

"I actually thought this box was a joke passed on from President to President. My Predecessor told me he had never seen it open. He was just told when he took office never to take it away since he might need it someday. To think that the British had the key, all these years."

Arthur simply nodded and indicated for the President to open up. Two things filled the box up: A stack of books, all of them untitled, as well as a single letter, carrying the presidential seal and, by the looks of it, both of them were quite old.

"Not really the British, but we will get to that. We'll only need the letter for now. The books just contain the story I'm about to tell you myself. Well, most of it, anyways."

President Glassner was surprised to find his hands shaking slightly when he lifted the letter and unfolded it. To him, the message contained seemed to be rather simple.

_The Man who gave you the key to this box can be trusted. He speaks the truth and is a friend, patriot and hero._

The list of signatures underneath, however, was quite impressive, reading like a who is who of those who have sat in the most powerful office in the free world. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy being just a few of those on here.

Astonished, President Glassner looked up at the Ambassador, the question clearly in his eyes.

With a smile, Arthur completely ignored the unasked question and instead calmly began his story.

"Three days ago, we registered a hyperspace transmission originating here on Earth. Since, as far as we know, nobody has that technology, I was dispatched to scout the area and asses the situation. It would not have been the first time the Goa'uld managed to sneak back to Earth to wreak havoc, even though we felt confident our new sensors would have detected ships landing, and as far as we knew, there were no more Chappa'ais left, one being buried in the Antarctica, one in Egypt."

Here, President Glassner actually had the grace to look embarrassed for a moment, since it was his administration that started the SGC 4 years before. Still, non of his questions were answered, yet. In fact, the slightly younger man in front of him just seemed to pile more and more questions onto his mental list.

"When I arrived at the Coordinates near Colorado Springs, I detected several sets of prints, most of them older, but two of them quite fresh. I tracked them back to the Cheyenne Mountain complex and infiltrated the base searching for any sign of an advanced civilization. I finally located the Tollan survivors on sub level 25, made contact with them and found out about the Stargate. Well, and the rest is, more or less, as you'd imagined it to be."

The look the President leveled upon Arthur at that moment was a strange mixture of annoyance, confusion, anger and interest that made Arthur bite back a laugh.

For a Moment, Arthur toyed with the idea of simply leaving, but discarded it again. He doubted he could leave here without a mayor massacre, and now really was not the time to destroy international relations. Still, it would have been worth just to see the Presidents look at that moment.

"To really understand what I am talking about, though, we have to go back quite a while. About nine thousand years in fact - a few hundred years before the Goa'uld began to push the boundaries of their domains beyond Egypt, but still well before the first civilizations began appearing on Earth. It is the very beginning of a group I am heading that is tasked with the protection and guidance of humanity to prepare them for their destiny as the Fifth Race."

"The Fifth Race?"

"Millions of years ago, when the Alteran, the Gate builder first came to this region of space, they allied themselves with the most advanced, space-faring races here – the Nox and the Furlings."

"We encountered the Nox, but I would not count them as the most powerful group out there."

With a smile, Arthur explained, "This was all a long time ago. The Furlings have died out when a plague attacked their species and the Nox have since adopted a more peaceful outlook in life. Anyways, these three races formed the Great Alliance, where each of them guarded their region of space while they shared knowledge and recourses. I guess it was Utopia back then, or at least as close to it as it ever got.

The Asgard joined the Great Alliance shortly after. Even back then, they were technologically and scientifically advanced, although nowhere as advanced as the Alterans. They lived in relative peace for millions of years until, in a short time frame, everything went to hell. The Alterans, the by far most powerful of the allies, as well as the Furlings were attacked by a plague. Both races were convinced that the existence of flesh as we are living right now could not be the end of evolution. They had already lived millions of years longer than we do now, and had evolved accordingly. In fact, some of their abilities would still appear to be magic even to us, like telepathy and a healing touch. They started experimenting with their own genes, and, as a result, create a disease so powerful, they succumbed to it. Within years, the Furlings had disappeared completely and the few healthy Alterans left departed from the Milky Way and traveled to the Pegasus Galaxy to start a new life there. The rest of them spent the rest of their lives seeding new races in this Galaxy, the humans, who were designed by their image, but had none of the artificially created flaws in their genes. The virus could still affect them, but they were nowhere near as contagious afterwards, so slowly, the plague died away. The Nox disappeared from sight and hid out on their home world, believing that they had caused enough harm to this Galaxy when they had to cauterize half of the planets here in an attempt to control the disease. Looking back, had they not done that, there might be no life left in this region of space.

As I said, the humans were created in the image of the Ancients. They were their legacy, in a way; their hope for a new, better future. The Asgard stayed behind alone. They strove to make their old friends proud, to continue their work and keep peace, but in the end, two galaxies stretched their recourses too thin. They encountered an enemy so powerful, they were lucky they even had time to bring their fleet home to defeat the first wave. Last I heard, they were still battling this foe, hundreds of years later."

"It is a little disheartening to hear we were just created on the whim of some aliens."

Arthur nodded in agreement. "You have to understand, though, they did not make us to be their puppies. We are to take their place, preserve their legacy and help their allies. We are their children, their firstborn son, even."

Arthur stopped and looked at the President accusingly. "This has, however, very little to do with our story. Our story, as I said, begins over nine thousand years ago, in what today is northern Syria, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris. Back then, the people there were still simple people. They were organized in villages of a few dozen people, although every once in a while, there were much larger tribes. In essence, they were simply multiple villages that banded together to defend against enemies and to aid each other during food-shortages. For a society as primitive as it was back then, it was an astonishing to see that level of cooperation and civilization. They even had a leader, a Monarch, so to say, who ruled in all matters of disputes between the tribes. Our protagonist, though, is not the king, not even a member of his court. He is a young boy of 13 years, on the verge to becoming a man. He is a hunter for his family and a few others who live together in the shadow of what today is the 'Qulayb Hammat ash Shamiya', a small mountain a couple of hundred meters in height."

"It would seem to me, " President Glassner interrupted with a smile, " that you have told this story quite a few times, and most of these was not as a briefing, but really as a simple story. I'd like to know, though, just how you can claim to know what was going on so long ago. At best, we can today find out there was a settlement there, which certainly does not give us any information on who ruled and who traded."

"You caught me. It used to be my godson's and my daughter's favorite bed time story. Another hundred years every night certainly brought them to bed quickly."

"We worked together for almost a decade and I did not even know you had a family, " the President commented ideally, "I find it hard to believe you would tell children about top secret work like that, though."

"Either is not something I talk about to just anybody, I assure you. My adoptive daughter has long since grown into a fine young woman who has, predictably joined our little organization, so she would have been told about all this anyways. My godson, on the other hand, is a member of the only family who knows all about us and knows how to contact us."

The President looked thoughtful for a moment, but finally seemed to accept that Arthur wanted to keep some things to himself for now. He did, however, note 'family in the know?' on peace of paper in front of him. "That's the second time you mentioned an organization. Who are they? Who is your leader, and who tasked you with the protection of Humanity?"

"Those are the last questions for now, though. We have a lot of history to cover today. We are a group of talented people who have sworn themselves together to protect humanity. Recruitment pretty much works by itself. Every once in a while, somebody does something that qualifies his inclusion and, so far, nobody has ever declined an invitation. The older ones in our group rule in some sort of council. Of course, everybody has a voice, we are, after all, only about a hundred people, but in the end, most decisions are made by the council as the respective squad leaders. As to who tasked us, well, we tasked ourselves, but there are multiple others who have requested this protection and actively aided us in our attempt."

"But why would anybody want to protect humanity specifically?"

"I thought we agreed to know more questions, " Arthur teased with a grin. "It is a good one, though, so I'll answer it. Humanity is the future. They are to be the new Alteran Empire, to reach for the stars and protect the weak. Most of all, though, they are to defeat the enemies that cowed even the Alterans, so that they can never feast upon the Milky Way galaxy."

"I guess we did already cover some of that, sorry. So, please, tell me your story, I'm listening."


	3. 3 La Naisannce d'Arthur

**Chapter 3: La Naisannce d'Arthur**

_Northern Syria, about 9000 BC_

The Heaven's fire was just disappearing behind the distant big rocks when Little Bear reached the toes of Big Rock close to home. When the ancestors twinkled down upon them, he should be able to reach the village and to claim his place on the table with his parents. Little Bear was counting thirteen cycles now, and looking forward to finally become a man the day the first leaves appeared on the trees.

Many weeks and months hunting the fast animals on the big stream had made Little Bear lean and well toned. His skin had the same golden tone as his parents, and his hair and eyes were equally as dark. Where struggle and hardship had dimmed their eyes, though, Little Bear's still shone with wit and curiosity.

For many days, Little Bear had been travelling up and down the Great Stream, hoping to catch something that would be enough to feed the whole village. It had been long since their last successful hunt, too long, in fact.

Tonight, though, the village was going to have plenty. His kill, a large gazelle, and several smaller animals, were slung over his shoulder, next to his bow and arrows. Little Bear was looking forward to finally having a meal in company once more. Normally, his father would have accompanied him on a trip such as this one, but lately, tales of marauders and unrest had spread from the other villages nearby, so the men chose to stay behind to be able to defend the village. Word was, that the larger tribes of the area had even organized patrols to hunt down these outlaws.

Already, Little Bear could have sworn he smelled the fire burning in the village. Of course, nobody knew whether or not he was successful and when he would return, so there would be no fire waiting tonight. Instead, he would have to look forward to tomorrow, and to finally seeing his mother and father, as well as little White Moon again, the adorable girl their neighbours had had four cycles ago and who would come to try and play with him whenever he returned home.

Finally the young man crossed the last of Big Rock's toes and had the first view down to his village. He would be home before they could have finished a meal down there.

What he saw, though, caused Little Bear to drop his kill. There was a fire burning in the center of the village, and even from the distance, he could see several shadows moving across. More shockingly, however, were the eight horses and their riders cycling the village outskirts. Suddenly, a figure, a woman judging by her size and speed, broke from the village and ran towards where Little Bear knew the large tribes lived. Two of the riders immediately went off in pursuit and ran her down moments later. She never got back up again.

Little Bear immediately started running. Already, he could see he was going to be too late. If the village could simply hold them off a while longer, if the fire would just scare the horses for one more moment, he might be able to save them.

Sounds were the first thing that alerted the young man to the fighting. Horses neighed and panted and several men cried out as dull thuds announced their injuries.

Almost there. Just fifty more steps. Thirty more – Little Bear reached for his bow. With practised ease, he bends the bow. Twenty steps – the young man pulls an arrow from the quiver on his back. Good, he can feel at least a hand full back there. Ten steps – Little Bears instincts take over. Although the sounds of fighting - and of dying, he grudgingly admitted to himself - blanked the whole area, he slows down and tiptoes around the first cottage.

He had been lucky so far. All the riders were either in the village or on the other side. Nobody had seen him coming through the dark night and against the bright blaze of the fire. Silently, he drew the arrow back before looking around the corner and into the village. A good dozen bodies littered the ground. None of them seemed to belong to the attackers, though, which meant that most of the village was dead already. In fact, he could see both his mother and father lying not far from where they stood, both of them impaled by a javelin. As the village leader, his father would probably have tried to negotiate with their attackers, and he would have been the first one to die when he failed. On the other side of the village, ten paces away, two man had abandoned their horses and used the villager's fire to slowly light the wooden shacks. Two of the seven in their village, including their corn storage, were already alight, burning brightly in the dark night.

Quietly, Little Bear drew his string back and prepared to let loose. For once, he had to hit as many targets as possible, as quickly as possible. When hunting, he just had to make sure every to hit something before his kill disappeared into the trees. While his first arrow was still flying, the desperate fighter drew a new one. The first one hit and the first plunderer went down. His second arrow missed, however, when the man turned to his companion and his target began shouting and moving moments later, probably searching for him and alerting his companions to the new danger. A third arrow felled him, though, and Little Bear was about to step into the village square when a soft whimpering drew his attention. Crouching down, he found White Moon buried in her mother's breast, trying desperately to hide from the world and its cruelty. Both of them understandably looked to be scared for their lives.

"Please, help us." Little Bear forced a smile upon his face, trying to assure the pleading mother.

Indicating them to be silent, Little Bear stepped forward into the square. Immediately, two riders spotted him and charged towards him from perpendicular directions, their spears extended forwards to ram him through.

Remembering White Moon, Little Bear bravely approached the first rider head on. Spinning out of the way the last possible moment, he grabed for the spear and managed to pull the man down hard, who fell on his neck and started screaming and trashing on impact.

With one target disabled, the young man turned towards his second attacker, only a few more steps away. Little Bear lifted his spear and charged, but misjudged the horses hight. Instead of hitting the rider, his spear cut the horse, sending it tumbling to the ground. At the same time, Little Bear felt his breath knocked out of him and started spinning around his own axis.

In disbelieve, he looked down upon his stomach, where the marauder's spear had pierced him, just left of his centre. Blood spilled onto the ground underneath him, but Little Bear kept standing, knowing that his task was not over yet. Turning to the downed horse, he hefted his spear up and rammed it down into its rider, ending trapped man's life.

Looking around, the small defender saw, that three more houses seem to have caught fire or were lightened up. A couple of steps away, he found his bow and several arrows, when another horseman approach him. With practised movements, the young hunter lifted the bow up to shoot, but found his hands to be shaking too much to aim.

A shout rang through the village and panic griped the four remaining plunderers. In the distance, another group of riders is approaching, galloping fast over the dry steppe, causing a large cloud of sand to persue them. The tribes must have seen the fire and sent help to the village, or maybe they just hoped to catch the marauders once and for all. Either way, they would be too late, far too late, to help anybody here.

Desperately, Little Bear attempted to hold his bow steady. In the end, just as he let loose his arrow, his knees simply gave out underneath him. From the ground, he saw the last of the village light up in flames, including the little cottage White Moon and her Mother used for shelter, causing the two of them to leave their shelter and start running, just as the last three riders appear by Little Bear's body.

Slowly, the young mans vision fades to black. He can slowly feel his life ebb away, spilling out of his stomach. Just as his eyes close for the last time, however, White Moon's face appears before Little Bear's inner eye. Her bright, innocent blue eyes and easy smile are the last thing he saw before he finally passed away, just as one, last, desperate "NO!" echoed through his mind.

.

.

All of a sudden, the world exploded in white and pain.

.

.

With all his might, Little Bear grabbed for the pain. Something, anything to link him to life was welcome to him. All of a sudden, he could feel his body spasm. The pain was nearly unbearable, but all that matters was to feel once more. Blindly, he grabbed around for something, anything to hurl. Something, anything to save White Moon.

Finally, his fingers curled around a spear, which Little Bear grabbed, before rolling himself of the ground to hurl the spear with all his might after the two riders. At that moment, they were only a few paces away from the fleeing mother.

With the projectile still in the air, the young warrior finds a large stone and hurls it after the riders as well. Both projectiles found their targets and two of the three riders went down, their horses stumbling from the sudden shift in weight.

The last of them, upon seeing his comrades fall, felled by boy he himself saw dead, spurred his horse on. The faster he got away from there, the better. Just as he reached the woman he had been pursuing, he allowed himself one last pleasure, one last kill. Charging his arm back, he prepared to spear the woman through.

Back at the village, Little Bear could only watch helplessly as the rider prepared to wipe out the last of his village. Knowing it to be futile, and yet feeling as if he had to do something, Little Bear thrust his arm forward, his hand opened as if he had just thrown the air itself after the rider.

Time seemed to slow down for Little Bear. A strange, unnatural calm slowly washed over him, settled him, and allowed him to focus on what was happening. Even a hundred paces away, the young boy could easily make out the satisfied grin on the marauder's faces as he leaned forward in his saddle. Next, a sense of unimportance engulfed Little Bear. He could feel the world around him, the vastness of the universe, and the energy within it, ready for his use. In trance, Little Bear tapped into it as his hand was moving upwards, palm extended towards the rider.

Just as the spear pierced the mother and her child, lightning surged from Little Bear's palm and, within moments, crossed the distance to the rider. Dozens of small, bright rays of light pierced through his chest and head easily, felling him, never to get up again.

Finally, Little Bear's world turned completely black.

.

"Hey there, little man, can you hear me?"

A voice penetrated Little Bear's mind first. Then the smell of blood and fire assaulted his nose and the battle came back to him.

Without warning, he snapped up, only to knock into an older man of about thirty-five who had been crouching above him.

"White Moon!"

A gentle hand pressed him back down again before he could fully get up.

"Wow, little man, stay put for a while. You have been through a lot, and there is a lot of blood on you and your clothes are ripped. You don't seem to be wounded, though."

The obvious question clearly stayed unasked, causing Little Bear to focus on the man above him. He had fairly long, brown hair, which tied behind his back. His eyes were several shades lighter than Little Bear's as well, and completely colourless, causing their grey hue to seemingly pierce Little Bear and the young boy to see the man's curiosity. They seemed to tell a story of a gentle man, and the hardships of his life, while also shining with intelligence and cunning.

"White Moon!" Little Bear started again, now focusing on the man above him. "Did you find her? She and her mother left the village, but they were followed. I think I got two of them, but there was one more. I tried, but ..."

The man's hand gently gripped Little Bear's shoulder. "I am sorry, little friend. The third rider seems to have caught up with the just before you got him. You were the only one left alive here when we arrived."

Blinking away the tears threatening to spill, the village's lone survivor slowly sat up to take in his surroundings, trying to suppress his wince as he did so. Apparently, though, he had not been succesful since the man once again extended his arm to stabilize him. Everything seemed to hurt, his chest, his legs, his arms, but most of all, his head was throbbing, while Little Bear fought hard to stay conscious.

All around him, he could see men working, some collecting the dead, others going through the wrecked homes of the village, looking for survivors, or, more likely, anything still of use. He really could not bring himself to blame them for looting. His village was by no means wealthy or powerful, but they really did not need anything anymore, and these men had given up their time to try and help them. The least they could gain were some now unneeded supplies that might make their lives a little easier.

"Don't worry, they won't take anything yet, I'll make sure of it. As far as we are concerned, it is all yours now, although I know a few men would be thankful for everything you do not need anymore."

Suddenly, Little Bear understood that all he had was now gone.

"What is going to happen now? Where will I go?"

When no answer came, he looked up at the older man.

"I guess that is up to you, really. Do you have any family anywhere else? Perhaps on your mother's side. Anybody who would take you?"

Little Bear just shook his head. "I know some people in the villages around here, from when we travel there to trade, but nobody I'd bother with another mouth to feed. Besides, I don't think I could go back to a life as a farmer's son anymore."

The man nodded sympathetically.

"Tell me, what happened here. Did you do all this?"

Startled by the sudden change in direction, Little Bear could at first only nod his head in confirmation before beginning his tale a moment later.

"I was just returning from a hunting trip when I spotted the riders by the village. I ran as fast as I could, but by the time I got here, almost everybody was dead. I was afraid and desperately wanted to leave, but then I found White Moon and her mother hiding and alive. I just was not good enough. I should have been better, faster, stronger."

Little Bear could see the man's eyes cloud in sadness and suddenly came to appreciate the time this man, apparently the leader of those who came to aid him, took to make sure he, a complete stranger, was OK.

"There was nothing you could have done here. In fact, what you did was more than anybody could have excepted of you. You actually did our job here, you know. Your sad talent does give you a new possibility, though. My name is Barking Wolf. I was tasked by Clan Leader Roaring Lion to form a group of men willing to defend the villages of his clan against all attacks and to train them, so that bands like this one can not bother us again. If you want to, you can come with me. I could use a man like you."

For the first time since he had awoken, Barking Wolf could see a glimmer of hope and life return to the young man's eyes.

"You don't have to decide now. We'll be riding towards those villages in the west first thing in the morning. Once we reach them, you are more then welcome to join me, to stay there, or to make your own way. Until then, we'll take care of your dead here. Can you stand, my friend? You'll have to decide what to take with you."

Startled, Little Bear realized he was still sitting on the ground, with Barking Wolf's hand stabilizing him. The pain seemed to be receding, though.

"I'm called Little Bear, by the way. And thank you – for everything."

Slowly, the lone survivor rose to his feet and approached the gathered, still bodies in the centre of the village. Apparently, Barking Wolf's men had already collected everybody and brought them together, since the young man could see little White Moon lying on the ground, the huge red stain taking any illusions of peaceful sleep.

Crouching down besides here, Little Bear reached out to touch her face, blinking back tears. Later, he would not have been able to tell how long he had sat beside the small body, simply holding her hand and starring into nothingness. She had always been so sweet and innocent, his life line in this cruel world. Seeing her slaughtered like this was worse than the knowledge his parents had died. At least they had the chance to stand up for themselves and to fight. Reaching out, he pulled a small leather cord from her neck. A small, wooden figure of a bear was attached, which he had given to her before he left for his hunt, promising to come back soon. As the two only children, they had been playmates and close friends.

Standing up, he found Barking Wolf standing nearby, talking to some of his men, while keeping an eye on him.

"It is strange. I would have expected to be most affected by my parent's death, but all I keep seeing are White Moon's bright, blue eyes, peering out at me from her small face, afraid as she and her mother hid under that house, and shining with joy as she runs behind me and waves me goodbye. She had amazing eyes. Blue like the sky, and always sparkling."

The older man simply listened as the lost boy rambled. Seeing him halt, though, Barking Wolf crouched down. "Just like your eyes, then? They are amazing. I have never seen anything like them."

Little Bear appeared confused. "My eyes are brown. Simply brown."

From a wineskin on his belt, the older man poured a small puddle of liquid, before gesturing for Little Bear to look at it. "Sometimes, there are powers that are beyond understanding. It appears that from now on, you will see the world through her eyes."

Unbelieving, the boy starred into his changed reflection, blinking rapidly as if to clear an illusion from his eyes, before finally looking back up. "I'll do it. I'll join you. I will fight to prevent this from happening to anybody else. Do I need anything when coming with you?"

Although Barking Wolf had expected this decision, he was surprised to hear the steal in Little Bear's voice. Quickly, he shook his head no.

"The Clan Leader will equip us with whatever we need. You might as well take your bow with you for the ride, but we'll probably find you a better one once we reach Shank'anon, the Clan Leader's home."

Little Bear nodded before crouching down next to his father to loosen a wide, bone-made necklace with artistic carvings. At Barking Wolf's inquering look, he explained, "My father. This marks the village leader and tells the history of our village - it was supposed to be mine once he died or got too old. Father said his father's father brought it with him when he came from the land of the Midday sun to start this village. It shall help us to never forget who we are and where we came from."

Standing again, he fixed both necklaces to his own neck, hiding the statue under his shirt before he slowly walked around the village, collecting his bow from where he dropped it, as well as his arrows. Already, the men had gathered all the spears and javelins next to the little camp they had set up.

Walking over to where they were currently boiling a stew, he sat down by Barking Wolf.

"What is going to happen to them? It feels wrong to just leave them there."

"It is custom where I come from to burn the dead, to free their souls and allow them to travel to their place among the ancestors above. If you agree, we'll use whatever wood has not yet burned in the morning," the old warrior explained.

Nodding in agreement, Little Bear indicated to the remains of the village behind them. "I've got everything I want or need. Your men can have whatever else they can use. If there is nothing else, I'll try to catch some sleep. Good Night."

"Good Night, Little Bear."

.

Little Bear was restless throughout the night. Although he was accustomed to sleeping on the ground from the many hunting trips he used to take with his father, he kept seeing White Moon's face whenever he closed his eyes, alternately between shock and fear, crouching under the shack, and covered in blood, lying with the other bodies in the town square.

In a way, he was glad when the morning came. By sunrise, he had helped the man building a large pyre and placed his dead family and friends upon it. Nearby, Barking Wolf lightened a separate, smaller fire before passing the largest stick over to him.

With one last look at the faces of his loved ones, Little Bear threw the torch down to lighten the wood. Silently, he watch for a moment, before turning around and approaching the men standing behind him.

"Let's go, shall we."

Inspecting his new charge for a moment, Barking Wolf nodded to his comrades, who immediately started attaching their meagre possessions onto the horses they brought and those the plunderer brought, before getting on themselves.

"Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

"I just get on and start riding, right?" Little bear seemed genuinely puzzled by the question. After all, the horse would be doing all the work. Approaching his horse, he jumped head first and landed belly down over the proud animal's back before sliding back down on the other side. Barking Wolf's laughter boomed over the flatland, alerting the other men who were already quite a way out.

Embarrassed, Little Bear looked to the older man for guidance.

"Stand next to the horse and look to the same direction. Now use your outer hand to grab it just above his neck, like this. Good. Next, put your left food into that sling there. Really step into it, and now just pull yourself up. That's it. Hold on to that cord in front of you, pull it to the left or right to steer the horse, pull it back to slow down. Gently press your feet together to get going. Don't forget to whip along a bit, though, otherwise you won't be able to sit properly for weeks by the time we get home."

Apparently, the men had left him their most reliable horse, since it took almost no coaching at all for it to do his bidding. After a while, Little Bear actually found that he enjoyed riding immensely. From so high up, he was able to survey his surroundings and, although their horses were only travelling at an easy trot, they covered more distance then he ever thought possible. Within half a day, following the path of the evening sun, the group had reached their first small village.

Little Bear was surprised to see a good handful of people already waiting for them. Since the village was about as big as his own had been, he suspected that those actually were all the women in the village. He was even more surprised, though, when half of the men he was travelling with descended from their horses to embrace them. The other half followed quickly and begun to organize their meagre possessions.

"I thought these men would come with us to protect the clan."

Confused, Barking Wolf turned to him, before understanding appeared in his eyes.

"No, my little friend. These men are simple villagers. Farmers and hunters, who agreed to band with me to stop this threat. As you can see, most of them are actually from here, since this was where we were when we saw the fire in your village, but there are men here from many of the villages nearby. They all have their lives to return to. So far, our little band includes just the two of us, although I'm hoping to find a few more men willing to sacrifice some of their time closer to Shank'anon. After all, it takes 4 days just to get there from here."

Since most of the men seemed to have brought their own horses - which absentmindedly made Little Bear wonder where his village's horse had run off to - they used those to bring themselves and their little spoils, mostly some pottery and a bit of corn, home, while Barking Wolf and Little Bear tied six of the horses they had taken from the raiders between themselves and loaded them with the raiders spears, javelins and leather armours. With one horses having died in battle, that left Little Bear to ride the last of the raider's horses, while Barking Wolf rode his own majestic mount; a gift by the Clan Leader for long years of dedicated service, as he explained.

With all the preparations, the duo were the last of the outsiders to leave the village just after the high sun, since the other men who had accompanied them were, understandably eager to get home now that the threat had passed. Riding in a steady, comfortable tempo, the village the two men left from soon disappeared behind the horizon.

The days on the road, following the Great Stream towards the west, and continuing on straight when it turned north, were spent mostly in silence, especially since, with half a dozen horses tied between them, communication was difficult at best. Once they stopped to eat and rest, though, Barking Wolf entertained Little Bear with stories of his travels and taught him about the lands around them, the animals living there, the plants they found on their way, and the important members of the clan and their function.

Shortly after the sun reached it's highest point on the fourth day of their travels, Barking Wolf caused his horse to stop on top of a small hill before indicating his young charge forward.

"May I present, Shank'anon, your new home."

In the valley before them was the largest settlement Little Bear had ever seen. While most villages consisted of maybe three to four families banded together, with a dozen houses at the most, Shank'anon had more houses than Little Bear could count, although he suspected he could fit his village into the city more often than he had fingers on both his hands. From the distance, he could see a constant stream of people going to and from the gate. What was most fascinating to the young man, though, was the wooden palisade that encompassed all the houses and provided protection.

"The large house in the centre is our goal for today, the Clan Leader's home. It is the only house I know where you can sleep on your own roof, and still have a roof above you. My position in his council grants me and my wife a house right by him."

"I did not know you had a family. I'm sorry, I should have assumed."

Barking Wolf smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry, my young friend, you did not offend me. My wife and I were never blessed with children. It is a cause of great regret, but it does allow me to dedicate my life to my clan and to maybe find a cause bigger than myself. Come now, though. I miss my wife's stew."


	4. 4 A New Home

**Chapter 4: A New Home**

Shank'anon seemed to bristle with life. Wherever Little Bear looked, he could see people talking, working, or children playing, causing him to quickly feel overwhelmed as he tried to take in everything at once.

"It's market day today, " Barking Wolf explained from where he was walking ahead of him. In the narrow streets and with all the people, they had to dismount and left the animals by a field close to the gate.

"Normally, there are a lot less people on the street here. Once a month, though, the Clan Leader invites everybody here to trade their surplus for everything they do not make themselves. One of our future responsibilities will be to insure peace here. There have been a few heated discussions in the past year, but luckily so far nothing serious."

"But how does the town make profit of that? In fact, how does the Clan Leader feed himself. With a house that big, and this many people under him, I can't really see him working."

"Oh. He is working. You are correct, however, in assuming he does not go out to hunt or to work the fields. Instead, he asks all his people for a small part of whatever they make."

"Would that not mean the people have less to eat, though? Won't they starve?"

Barking Wolf looked over at the young man walking next to him. "It all depends on how much he takes, doesn't it? Don't forget that the clan is a lot bigger than Shank'anon. Most people who live here do not work the fields or hunt. Instead, they trade for the corn, grind it, and make bread. Or they trade for the meat and pickle it, before trading it again. They make pots, cloths, bows, and just about everything else you can imagine. Most of the work is done in the surrounding villages, though."

"Is it not complicated to find something to trade for, though? Let's say I make pots, and I'd like some bread. The man who makes bread does not need pots, though. He wants meat instead. The hunter needs no pots either, but he could do with a new bow. I would then have to go and trade my pots to the bow-maker, before going to the hunter, and then to the baker."

"That's why we have Trade Day, at least. Now, you can just get all parties together to talk business. Imagine having to travel for days just to reach an agreement. It would probably be easier just to make everything yourself."

"Why don't you, then? It works. I know, since that's what we did." Little Bear questioned, confused.

"We used to, as well. In time, though, we recognized that nobody can know everything. Let's take a bow maker, for example. You probably used a flexible piece of wood, maybe heated it a bit, and then tied a string to it. Clapping Cobra makes the best bows in Shank'anon. I know he constantly experiments with different types of wood, different heats, and even coats his bows in soil or wax. His bows can shoot up to a hundred fifty paces, and they won't break for years."

Little Bear's eyes widened visibly. "No way! I can hardly shoot thirty paces with mine and I need to make a new one every half a cycle."

"As I said, Clapping Cobra is the best we have. However, sent him out to work on the fields, and he is completely useless. He would not even know which plants to plant, never mind which soil is the best or how much sun and water the plants need."

As Little Bear nodded in understanding, he recognized that their path had taken them up to the town center, right to the residence of the Clan Leader and Barking Wolf. Standing in front of it for the first time, Little Bear realized the home was even more impressive than he first thought. He had never seen anything man-made that was this high, nor this big. His family's shack from back home could probably easily fit inside ten times.

"Tonight, you will sleep with me and my wife. The Clan Leader has ordered the construction of a new house just outside the southern entrance to the city, where we will have room to organize our weapons and to train and sleep. My wife has spent the last few days packing whatever she wished to take along. Tomorrow, we will move."

Little Bear nodded in understanding, inwardly impressed with the preparations going into his new work.

"For now, though, we should report to the Clan Leader. He will be eager to hear our tale and to meet you."

Entering the residence, the wealth displayed once again impressed Little Bear. Somebody had decorated all the pillars in the room, as well as many of the walls, with beautiful carvings, which, as Little Bear stepped closer, seemed to come to life, telling tales of Shank'anon and its inhabitants.

"Like your necklace, these halls tell the story of how our clan came to be."

"As you can imagine, they are our most prideful possession," a new, deeper but more youthful voice explained from behind Little Bear. "Most people in Shank'anon would rather die than see this place destroyed."

Turning around, Little Bear came face to face with a young man, half way in age between himself and Barking Wolf. Although he looked fit and healthy and his eyes shone with intelligence and curiosity, Little Bear was sure the man before him was no warrior. His stance was relaxed, and his movements lacked the grace of somebody who is used to hunting soundlessly in the wilderness. Oddly enough, he still displayed a level of confidence that made Little Bear think of him as a worthy leader of men.

"Roaring Lion, I'd like you to meet Little Bear. Little Bear, my good friend and Clan Leader, and now yours as well, Roaring Lion."

After the introductions were done, the Clan Leader turned to the older man and asked for his report on the situation.

"The situation is resolved, Clan Leader. Little Bear here managed to fend off the attack on his village when he surprised the marauders by returning home from a hunting trip. When I spotted the fires in the distance, I took the men I had gathered there, but we arrived too late. The whole village had been massacred. Only Little Bear was still alive. All eight plunderers were dead as well."

Roaring Lion closed his eyes for a moment, praying for the dead. As he turned to Little Bear, the boy was momentarily taken aback by the sincerity he saw in the man's eyes.

"I am sorry for what you had to endure, young friend. Rest assured, though, that you will find a new home here in Shank'anon. We owe you a great debt for ridding us of this vermin. I will personally make sure you find somewhere to live and work here."

Addressing Barking Wolf, again, his eye's took a new hue, and now shining with determination. Inwardly, Little Bear was impressed by the diversity of emotions the man before him could express with just his eyes.

"All this just proves me right, though. We need somebody who is always ready to defend us and to make sure everybody is safe. You were my father's friend and advisor for as long as I remember, and you have been here to aid me since my father died. Please, I beg you, see reason and take command."

With a grin, Barking Wolf turned to Little Bear and explained, "For years, we have lived at peace. When danger approached, we did what I did just recently – we recruited volunteers for a short term job. Roaring Lion proposed to have a security force doing nothing but keeping the peace, but so far I thought it would be too expensive."

Turning back to his chief, he continued, "It took me four days to ride to the area in question this time. I spent another seven days recruiting volunteers, and I would have needed another seven to get enough men to face the outlaws, had we not spotted the trouble in the neighbouring village. Had I brought men with me from Shank'anon, Little Bear's friends and family might still be alive. I agree, these men will earn their worth. I accept command. I even found my first volunteer already: Little Bear."

Surprised, Roaring Lion turned to the young man to see him nodding in agreement.

"I want to prevent this from happening to anybody else. Barking Wolf can make it happen, and I will support him as I can."

"He was alone, on foot, without any combat experience, against eight riders. They are dead, he wasn't wounded. For me, that was enough."

The Clan Leader nodded at that. "Very Well. You will move into our new guard house with Barking Wolf and his wife. Get your horses there tomorrow, as well. Our timing is excellent, by the way. A caravan came through here a few days ago from the south. They fled the new god's cruelty down there. Apparently, more and more of these gods are appearing constantly."

Barking Wolf looked shocked. "It's not a rumour, then? This Ra character and the others really do exist?"

"That's what they said. They had seen the god himself, and felt his power - he threw a man through a room without even touching him before he rode into the sky in his chariot. I even heard he had the power to awaken the dead. Quite frankly, I'm glad they are down there and not here with us. We better be prepared, though. I suspect more people will be fleeing here to escape the god's wrath, and they will either want land to settle on, or villages to pry on. I'd like to offer them the first and discourage the second."

And just like that, Little Bear understood why the older, stronger Barking Wolf held the much younger ruler in such high esteem – he possessed a wisdom far beyond his years.

"So, Commander Barking Wolf, when can I expect my forces to be ready?"

As it turned out, it would take more than a cycle until the newly appointed Commander Barking Wolf was satisfied with the state of his troops. While Little Bear, despite his youth, proved to be an fearsome opponent with unmatched speed and dexterity, the rest of the volunteers, despite being chosen for their skills on the hunt, had had a hard time adopting to fighting real humans instead of mindless animals. Recruitment itself was slow-going, as well. Despite the promise of free food and board, most young man were needed in their villages to help with the harvest and the hunt, so most of the soldiers were second or third sons of the craftsman's families of Shank'anon, who did not stand to inherit the shop and tried to build a future for themselves.

While trade days continued to be peaceful, the ten men under Barking Wolf's command quickly became a welcomed sight among the merchants and traders. Armed with bows and spears, they continuously patrolled the town and the surrounding lands for trouble and diffused countless arguments skillfully.

Little Wolf had little problems integrating himself into the community of the clan. Thanks to his regular presence on the city's streets, the vendors and craftsman quickly warmed up to the quiet young man of the east and treated him as one of their own. Additionally, Barking Wolf and his wife, who had never been blessed with children of their own, took Little Bear as their own and would regularly take the time to teach their young charge everything from recognizing the local herbs and treating minor wounds to constructing his own home. As a practical example for the later, the two men constructed a small shack for Barking Wolf and his wife next to the guard house where the other soldiers slept.

About four years after the Clan Leader had ordered their formation, word reached Shank'anon of a new group of marauders harassing the villages two days north west of the town. By order of the clan chief, Barking Wolf ordered his man to suit up and the group rode out.

After days of searching, they managed to track the group of, according to one of the close by villages, six plunderers, to a dense forest at the foot of a small mountain.

By nightfall, the ten soldiers had located the camp within and had led their horses through the undergrowth.

"That's it, men. Today is what we trained for and why we exist in the first place. Don't die on me out there. They should not even know we are here, so this should be over before it really started. Mount up, people, and prepare your weapons." The Commander motivated his charges before turning to face the enemy.

All ten riders quickly drew their bows and nicked the first arrow after mounting up. On Barking Wolf's command, all ten horses simultaneously started plowing through the thick scrubs, breaking twigs and branches along the way. One by one, the men, spurred by the action and adrenalin, started up a warcry, until most of the group was yelling excitedly.

When they finally broke into the narrow clearing the plunderers had chosen to house their camp, their enemy was ready for them, having easily heard them coming from afar. Barking Wolf, upon seeing their targets mounted up and armed, swore, and gave command to fire the first volley.

Since most of the group was still trapped in the forest they came from, their arrows went wide, at best serving as a minor distraction and thereby causing the marauders' first shots to miss as well.

Upon seeing they were outnumbered, the six outlaws broke apart and fled in different directions, three up the hill, and three back into the forest on the far side of the clearing.

Barking Wolf swore again, before edging his horse on once again. "After them. Let's go people. Four of you with me, the rest get those up in the hills."

Little Bear did not hesitate. His horse shot out of the group and up the mountain side in hot pursuit of his attackers, while Barking Wolf led his horse into the woods underneath a cliff.

Behind them, though, chaos erupted. After a few moments of hesitation, seven of the eight men had chosen to steer their mounts into the forest, only to almost collide with the single rider going up the hill. Upon seeing the miss-balance in support, four of the men chose to turn their horses around and to ride up the hill, only to once again realize they were ill-balanced.

"Just go. Four, five, six, it doesn't matter. Go! Go! Go! Don't let them get away." Little Bear had stopped halfway up the hill and angrily looked down upon the chaos unfolding, while Barking Wolf desperately tried to follow his prey through the dark night.

Seeing the men finally riding once again, Little Bear continued his track up the hill and started shooting arrows after the three fleeing riders, who had now turned left and rode along the cliff, looking down into the forest, where, a few meters below, Barking Wolf had finally managed to corner one of their comrades. Little Bear's aim finally proved true and one of the fleeing riders went down. The other two, realizing they could not get away, turned their horses around and started charging straight for their attacker.

Deftly, Little Bear swung his bow onto his back and pulled his spear up. Behind him, he could hear his men finally approach, so he slowed his horse a bit more and prepared for the clash.

The two riders seemed desperate, since they rode full speed into a group with superior numbers. With the horses' strength pressing against his spear, Little Bear lost grip of it as he jabbed it into the first plunderer.

Reaching down to retrieve it from the downed man and continue the fight, he could see Barking Wolf had finally received backup as well, who were just subduing one rider, while Barking Wolf finished off the second one. Just before he got a grip on his spear, though, Little Bear saw the third rider aiming an arrow at his surrogate father's back in the shadow of the cliff. Trusting his men to take care of the last rider atop, Little Bear did not hesitate to push out of his saddle and over the cliff's edge.

For a moment, Little Bear froze, wondering at his own stupidity. A fall this deep, going head first, could very well kill him, would kill him. Quickly, though, he began to enjoy the feeling of being free in the air, before the grim scene underneath caught up with him once more. Desperately, he tried to accelerate his approach to reach the lone bow man before he could loosen his shot, not thinking of his own safety as he plunged to his death.

Uttering a cry, Little Bear fell back into the vastness of so many years ago and thrust his hands forward. Once again, white light shone forth from his extended palms, beyond which he could see the plunderer looking up to the source of the sudden flash, causing his arrow to fly wide. Then, the white light formed into many thin lines, zigzagging towards their target like lightning.

Seeing his target go down, Little Bear suddenly became aware of the danger he himself was in, and began to concentrate on saving his own life. Shifting his body, he turned himself right-side up, just before he hit the soft, squishy forest ground, his legs slightly bend to counteract the large force.

Going down on one knee, he caught himself before straightening up again. Next to him, he could see the bowman's carcass, still smoking slightly where the lightning had touched his body. Both other plunderers in the forest were dead as well, one shot while trying to flee, the other stabbed with the stone knife Barking Wolf kept on his leg at all times. Seeing its efficiency in close combat, Little Bear swore to get one for himself, and for the other men as well.

Looking up, Little Bear for the first time appreciated the height he just fell. The cliff he had jumped down voluntarily was easily as high as ten men together and, at the top, the five men who had followed him were looking down.

"You better not let that last bastard get away up there." Apparently, Barking Wolf had seen them, too. "Once you are done staring, maybe you could collect everything useful and meet us back at their camp."

The men, both those upon the cliff, as well as those in the forest, immediately started getting to work. "Don't you forget my horse up there either, " Little Bear couldn't resist adding, grinning shamelessly.

Back at the camp, a few minuets later, Little Bear could still see the men's awe at what he had just done.

"That," Barking Wolf began, "was a catastrophe. The idea of catching them unaware is to be silent. That means no more shouting, if that matches your expectations." The sarcasm was obvious. "Additionally, when I say ride, I don't want you asking, or hesitating. Just do."

For a moment, Little Bear was taken aback by the harsh tone he was taking. Then, he realized that the only reason any of them were still alive were their superior numbers, and a lot of luck. Still, he could not help but flinch in expectation when Barking Wolf turned to him. No doubt, he would be less than pleased about his little stunt. For the first time, the young worrier understood just where his commander's name came from. He was a fierce fighter and valued his men above all else, but he had quite a loud voice.

"And you, son, don't you think I forgot your little stunt back their. What were you thinking? It's a wonder your still alive. I have no clue what you did back there." All of a sudden, the old commander's entire countenance changed, his eyes softening. "Thank you, though. You saved my life today, son, and I will forever be in your debt."

"You took me from that village, gave me a home, a purpose and a family. That is a debt I could never pay, father, " the younger men responded equally as emotional, before pulling his adoptive father into an embrace.

"On a happier note, though, son, I believe I finally found you a worthy name." For the past years, ever since the young warrior had found his purpose, Barking Wolf had thought about different names to give the young man. After all, a name should always reflect the character and the purpose of an individual.

"Back there, you flew through the air like an eagle, you made noise like thunder, and you shot lightning from your hands. You were a flying thunderstorm back their."

"I don't even know how I did that, or how I survived that, for that matter," exclaimed Little Bear.

"Still, I guess that makes you Thundering Eagle."

A cheer went up among the men when the father exclaimed the young man's new name, thereby fulfilling a long standing tradition of making his young charge a real man.

"Also, I was grateful to see you take charge today. In the past years, you have excelled in everything you did. You are a leader among men, and I am proud to call you my son. We have learnt a lot today. We have learnt the value of silence." Some of the men actually had the decency to blush lightly here. "And, most importantly, I believe, we have learnt that sometimes, we have to split up. So from now on, you will lead four of the men, while I take the other four. That way, I hope to avoid confusion like today in the future.

For now, though, we will spread the supplies these guys gathered here among the villages they robbed. Let's see if we can't still their hunger for a bit."

.

Under the guard of their ten warriors, the people of Shank'anon lived a life of peace, prosperity and happiness. While the individual still encountered problems, and life was difficult, with the absents of plunderers and other undesirables, everybody was able to at least enjoy the fruits of his own honest work.

The clan continued to grow quickly. More and more villages heard of the peacekeepers and the trade days and joined the clan for protection and the hopes of a better life.

Unfortunately, another few years later, the clans prosperity also brought the envy of others, such as their northern neighbour and their Clan Leader Ripping Jackal.

„OK, boys, today is different." Commander Barking Wolf stood before his nine troops. Already, the Clan Leader had called all young men to Shank'anon to be armed and organized, but little time remained to work.

"The enemy is approaching Shank'anon from the north. We are lucky in so far as they are marching fairly slow, allowing the villagers in their path to flee here. Unfortunately, they are still much too fast for us to prepare the villagers for combat.

Thundering Eagle, you and your men ride towards the enemy army. Reports say the Jackal might have managed to bring as many as four hundred men into our lands, so be careful. Most of them should be farmers, or hunters at best, but do not underestimate them. You main mission is to slow the enemy down. I don't really care how you do it, kill their horses, burn their waggons, fell a tree onto the road, or maybe even block the river to widen it. Just slow them as much as you can. Keep them on their toes. Attack when you are sure you won't loose anybody. Sow panic and confusion, so that, by the time they reach us, they are tired, confused and cowering in fear.

In the meantime, the others will stay here and help me train however many people we can. Teach them what you learnt out there. They might be the ones to save your life. Let's go people."

With a nod and the precision of a well oiled machine, the ten warriors began organizing supplies and gear for the five leaving the city.

"Son, I don't think I have to tell you, but please, be careful out there. The Jackal would not have come if he saw a chance he might win, so be ready for everything. When the main battle starts, though, be back here, so we can fight alongside once again. And you'll need a decent night's sleep and a good meal in you before, as well."

"Sometimes, father, you worry too much." Thundering Eagle answered his father, a calming hand on the older man's shoulder. "We will be here. You just worry about making sure these men are ready, otherwise we'll have a decent fight on our hands for once."

Thundering Eagle and his men found the enemy army two days later, early in the morning, while dew still littered the plants and grass, travelling along a small valley. Since most of the enemy was travelling by foot, Thundering Eagle suspected it would take them at least four more days to reach their target, which was more time than Barking Wolf expected, but a lot less than what he hoped for. The numbers the enemy had, on the other hand, were a lot more than what they expected. Thundering Eagle would actually be surprised if there were any able bodied men left in the Jackal's land.

The valley the army was in was fairly deep and steep, with a large, vertical cliff to one side and a lush green hill on the other side. Thundering Eagle and his group were now standing at the entrance to the valley, where it curved left before slowly flattening out. From here on out, the army in front of them would be able to fan out and travel more quickly.

"So, how do we do this people? Obviously, there are way too many people down there. They are travelling along the most direct route to Shank'anon, so I suspect they know where they are going, and probably the area around us as well. The valley they are in is too steep for us to ride down, so we either hit them front on, or not at all. And if we attack full frontal, we have nowhere to run but the way we don't want them to go."

"Actually, Boss? How about those rocks over there?" Looking around, Thundering Eagle saw Hopping Falcon, the youngest, and the only one younger than Thundering Eagle himself, and most playful member of his team point at a few large, almost round boulders lying on top of the hill they were standing on. "What about them? They are too heavy for us too drag down there to block the path, and even if we could, it would not take them long to bypass them."

"Well, I wasn't thinking about dragging them, but if we just gave them a little push, they would roll downhill, right?"

All of a sudden, Thundering Eagle caught on to what the younger man was saying. "Well, people, you heard the man. Let's go do this."

Steering his horse close to the first boulder of the set, this one right in the enemy's line of sight, Thundering Eagle dismounted and motioned for his men to do the same. Together, they loosened the almost man-high rock before pushing it onto the wet grass. On the steep, moist hill, it quickly gained speed and started to roll down towards the unsuspecting army.

Unfortunately, one of the soldiers caught sight of the rolling bolder early on and shouted a warning to his comrades. Also unfortunately, the valley was littered with old, thick trees that stopped the rock before it could inflict too much damage. Fortunately for the attackers, though, several men were still crushed when they were unable to leave the path due to said large trees or wounded by the splinters when the mighty wood shattered on impact. Additionally, the appearance of a large rock crushing your neighbour can be quite disheartening and caused many of the drafted to stop and stare, either at the dead, or up the hills to see whether or not more rocks suddenly decided to slide down. Lastly, though, a large rock now lay in the centre of the only path through the village, right where most of the army planned to march through.

Immediately, panic broke out among the ranks of farmers and hunters in the valley. While most people either tried to either run forwards or backwards in the valley, about a dozen of them realized they were under attack and started running up the green hill to meet their attackers.

On top of the hill, Thundering Eagle calmly stood from where he had surveyed the damage and chaos, before mentioning for his men to prepare their bows.

"Hold your fire. We packed lots of arrows, but we still don't want to waste any. These guys will be slow and tired by the time they get up here. Wait, and pick them off when you have a sure shot."

At one hundred fifty feet, five times the range of Thundering Eagle's old bow, and just at the edge of their own range, all five men loosened their arrows. Underneath, three of the charging men went down, while two more decided that maybe attacking wasn't such a good idea and turned around, fleeing.

In the end, a single man reached the top of the hill a minute after the rock slid down, where he was easily overpowered by the five trained professionals.

For the remainder of the day, the five men continued down the valley, working hard to loosen rocks and sending them at the poor souls underneath. More often than not, though, the enemy saw the stones approaching long before they actually became dangerous and managed to evade them easily. Still, by the end of the day, the army had cleared the valley with losses, and had been slowed down by quite a bit.

That night, though, when the army camped out in little groups around the fire, Thundering Eagle led his men on foot to the left flank of the encampment. A well placed javelin felled the single sentry, before all five men drew their stone knifes and began slicing through their sleeping enemies.

Once they were detected, they ran for their horses and were gone before a chase could be organized. During the day, they would camp out in the mountains, planning, eating and sleeping before coming back down the next night to hit the next group.

Five days later, late in the evening, five riders approached Shank'anon on the northern road. The northern entrance to the palisade had been closed up, and four young men were standing guard around it.

With practised ease, Thundering Eagle pulled his horse to a stop next to the guard, who instantly stood up straight when he realized just who had arrived. The legend of the ten warriors had only increased in Shank'anon when it became known that five of them went to face the enemy alone.

"The enemy will be here in the morning. They are currently encamped just beyond that hill over there. How many men do we have?"

For a moment, the young guard seemed not to realize he was asked a question. Then, with an audible snap, he closed his mouth and addressed the soldier before him. "About six hundred men, sir, and more are still coming in through the other gates as we speak."

Thundering Eagle just nodded and thanked the young man, before riding off around town. The east and presumably the west road had been blocked as well, making the southern entrance the only one available to enter the city.

In the guard house, Thundering Eagle found both his Commander and his Clan Leader, sitting, with a mug of ale still in hand, sleeping restlessly. Smiling slightly, he motioned for his men to go catch some sleep before he shook the two other men awake. During the past years, the young warrior had formed a close friendship with his Clan Leader, who would ofter approach his soldiers for advice on how to handle certain situations. As a result, he had gotten to know the man who had shaped a city more modern than anything else on the continent.

"Thundering Eagle, you are back. Come, sit, tell us what you saw." From the obvious tiredness, he wondered just how much sleep the two men had had the last few days. Probably about as much as he had, maybe even less.

Resolving to make this report short, Thundering Eagle began immediately.

"The enemy is strong, a lot stronger than we suspected. I'd be surprised if he has any men left in his lands. When we encountered them 5 days ago, two days after we had left here, there were probably six hundred of them marching on us. We have, since then, thinned them considerably. We killed about a hundred of them, in little skirmishes, traps and raids, while another fifty or so fled back to where they came from. Most of them appear to have little to no experience fighting, which is logical since they most likely are just farmer and hunter. If the six hundred I heard we have are right, we should be able to survive this fight.

The enemy is currently encamped just beyond the next hills. We wanted to raid them one last time, but either we scared them the last few nights, or they are suspecting an attack from Shank'anon. Either way, they are ready to defend themselves, so we came back home to report immediately."

"So the fight is winnable, at least. That's good news." Roaring Lion said. "Then we should probably head to bed now. The men are as ready as they can be, and we all need some sleep."

Although he was worried about the battle the next day, Thundering Eagle slept deeply that night, the exhaustion of the past few days of run and hide finally catching up to him.

The next morning, he joined his men for breakfast before checking his bow and his horse. By the time the enemy was spotted coming over the hilltops, the whole town was up and about, ready to fight.

Riding out to the field north of the city, where the battle was planned to take place, Thundering Eagle was surprised to see the men organized in four ranks, each one led by a different soldier from Barking Wolf's unit. His own group was standing off with Barking Wolf and Roaring Lion, who seemed to be waiting for him.

"There you are, finally, " teased the Clan Leader. "We thought you had decided to sleep in today."

"Sorry." Thundering Eagle joked back. "Was there anything you needed me for today?"

After allowing the group a small laugh, Barking Wolf became serious. "My men all have their units to lead. Those men are those they worked and trained with the past few days, and therefore the ones they know best. I will be trying to give commands to coordinate the units as much as possible, so keep an eye out for me. You five will be our reserve unit. Hit them wherever you feel is the most beneficial, but try to stay horse bound for as long as possible. I want you to be able to hit them fast and hard, wherever needed. The Clan Leader has, against my wishes, decided to join me."

"I told you already, your safety as the commander in this battle is the most important. Therefore, I will be riding alongside you to protect you at all cost."

Shaking his head, Barking Wolf turned towards the enemy army. Seeing them almost in position, he turned to his adoptive son one more time. "No matter what happens out there today, I am prod of the man you have become. Fate smiled upon me when I rode into that village to find you still alive, and I find myself thanking fate more and more everyday. Stay safe out there, my son."

With a last embrace, the two soldiers mounted their horses and rode off, Barking Wolf towards the main host of the army and Thundering Eagle to his men.

"Alright people, you heard the Commander. Business as usual, again. Let's make these bastards weep at the mere thought of us. We hit them hard and fast, and disappear before they can return the favour. With me!"

By the time the enemy had had time to spot the five, they had, once again, disappeared, hiding amongst some trees nearby, waiting for the enemy flanks to come closer.

The enemy army was an impressive sight, approaching from the rich green hills of Shank'anon. In the centre of the host, mounted on horseback, was their Clan Leader, Ripping Jackal, with his most important advisors. Arrayed around them was a thick mass of people, all of them armed and looking determined. Thundering Eagle happily noted that either his estimation had been wrong, or another fifty people had decided to abandon this campaign over night. Either way, the enemy seemed to have even fewer troops than they anticipated.

"Be ready, charge!"

"Fall back! Fall back!"

"Fire!"

The next few hours passed in a blur to the young warrior. Again and again, he would lead his men to prey upon an careless enemy, or to support one of their wings. Again and again, he would be forced to fall back before he lost any of his men to the enemies superior numbers. Amazingly, as far as he could see, the one loss he had incurred so far, young Hopping Falcon, seemed to be the only professional dead so far. All 4 wings, under the skilled leadership of Barking Wolf, seemed to be operating flawlessly.

Finally, the opportunity Thundering Eagle had been waiting for for hours presented itself. With the death toll on both sides rising, the Jackal finally sent the last of his army into battle, leaving him and his three lieutenants exposed to Thundering Eagle and his men.

"Let's end this! For our Clan and Family! Charge!" Enthusiastically, the other three men encouraged their horses to draw alongside their leader. Hours before, they had shot their last arrow, leaving them with only their spears and a few javelins they had re-collected off the battlefield moments before. Still, it should be enough. While their war cry did alert the enemy leaders of the approaching danger, their troops were already too far away to protect them. With practised ease, the professionals speared two of the advisors, while the third one hastily took of, abandoning his post. The Jackal, however, proved to be an worthy advisor. Despite being outnumbered four to one, he managed to hold his own for quite a while, parrying and jabbing with both his spear and a knife.

"Help! The Enemy is in town! Help! Quickly!" Surprised, Thundering Eagle turned towards the source of the shout. On top of the one of the town roofs, several of the older villagers had gathered to get the attention of their army.

On the field, he could see his father quickly collecting his own five soldiers before riding off towards the south entrance. Now, their own protection, the closed gates and the conscription of all young men and all weapons, turned against them. All of a sudden, the young leader understood his earlier confusion, as well. Instead of fleeing, the fifty men he had been missing had, unseen, circled around town to attack from behind and to demoralize the soldiers outside. If Thundering Eagle were to guess, he would suspect they'd try trashing the Clan Leader's residence with the extensive carvings, the well known jewel of Shank'anon.

Ragingly, Thundering Eagle steered his horse straight towards the Jackal. Battering his enemy's spear aside, the city's defender jabbed his own out before pushing of his own horse and tackling the aggressor to the ground. With practised movements, the young warrior rolled to his feet and drew his own knife, crouching over his overpowered enemy. The Jackal, still down on the ground, was dead immediately.

Once their leader had reclaimed his horse, the quartet of soldiers pursed their comrades into town, hoping to be able to save their home from needless destruction.

By the time the four riders arrived at the southern gate, heavy fighting had begun there. With the death of their leader, the main body of the enemy army had fled, but the fifty men in Shank'anon either had not yet heard or, more likely, were not concerned with the knowledge, fanatical in their quest. From one side, the elder town folks had taken up clubs and knifes and were desperately trying to protect their homes, while more and more of the army pressed back into town to help out. In the centre of this bottleneck, Thundering Eagle could easily see Barking Wolf, Roaring Lion and the rest of the soldiers, fighting for their lives.

Wordlessly, Thundering Eagle once more charged his horse into the mass of enemies dashing into the group just as he saw an enemy spear rising up to gut his Clan Leader. Shouting a warning, the young warrior already knew he would not be able to save their ruler when he saw his father push off his horse and in front of the spear, shielding his friend with his own body before crumbling from out of his saddle.

Desperately, Thundering Eagle started hacking through the people between himself and the downed man. All around him, he could here the fighting come to an end as the remaining attackers were overwhelmed by the sheer mass of fighters returning to town.

In the end, though, by the time Thundering Eagle reached his father's body, the man was dead, killed in the last minute of the battle for his home.

.

Barking Wolf's status as a friend of the Clan Leader guaranteed him his own pyre, away from the masses of dead being burned in the aftermath of the battle. Next to him burned Hopping Falcon, the young man who would always make a joke whenever the mood was getting depressed.

Standing by the fire, Thundering Eagle drew solace from the two bodies standing next to him. Both Roaring Lion and Barking Wolf's wife stood at his shoulders, gazing quietly into the flames consuming the man who had given his whole life to create and protect their home. Behind them stood the remaining seven of the newly named "Wolves of Shank'anon" or just "Wolves" for short.

"I still don't understand why he did it, though." Roaring Lion whispered, surprising Thundering Eagle for a moment. "That spear was meant for me. I am the Clan Leader, the obvious target, but he was the important one. Without his protection and guidance, Shank'anon would not have been possible."

Surprisingly, Thundering Eagle's adoptive mother beat him to an answer. "He was replaceable, though. Thundering Eagle, and many others, are out there, ready to do their part to protect their homes. You, on the other hand, are our leader."

"You are the heart and soul behind Shank'anon," Thundering Eagle added. "It was you who introduced Trade Day, who established the protectors, and who made the Clan what he is today. Barking Wolf always admired you for that. Sure, his loss is a heavy blow for us, but given the choice between himself and you, he would choose himself every time. Besides, I'm sure he hoped you would finally have those children to carry on your blood. Barking Wolf was too old, but you are right in your prime."

Nodding, Roaring Lion turned to his younger friend. "Thundering Eagle, I hope to count on you to continue Barking Wolf's work, to rebuild the protectors of Shank'anon and to command them."

"Of course. You honour me, Clan Leader."

"Somehow, I have a feeling that it is you honouring me, Commander. You will make us proud."


	5. 5 Alien Intervention

**Chapter 5: Alien Intervention**

The years after the first clan war were subdued in Shank'anon. The loss of almost two hundred of the clan's young men meant shortages on the field during harvest, and out in the forest during the hunt. On several occasions, Thundering Eagle would pull his men from guard duty to help out with the harvest before their food went to waste on the fields.

Relatively speaking, though, most of Shank'anon continued to life a happy, peaceful life. The legend of the 'Wolves of Shank'anon', and how five men had faced an entire army, spread throughout the lands quickly. Understandably, no one wanted to face the wrath of these men, and their Commander Thundering Eagle.

Two years after the battle, Thundering Eagle steered his horse along the outermost clan lands, two of his companions riding along side him. While the protection of the town itself was still their main priority, the young Commander made sure to regularly show presence in the outskirts as well, where raids and attacks by marauders were more common.

With one last look around, the warrior turned to his two soldiers.

"Continue on to Shank'anon, will you. I'll stay for a few more days to talk to the villagers nearby to be able to report on their situation to the clan leader, but everything seems to be calm out here. Just join the usual guard rotation back home, and tell Roaring Lion to expect me to be a few days behind you."

With a nod, the two Wolves left their commander to seek out the next village for shelter, while they used the afternoon to make their way deeper into their own lands.

.

Tiredly, Thundering Eagle steered his horse along the small path leaving another village. By now, he was sure he had heard all there was to know about the situation out here. While Shank'anon was undisturbed for the past years, many plunderers hid in the territory of clans nearby and regularly raided the unprotected villages. In his report, he would probably ask to double the Wolves' numbers in order to be able to spread more widely. If the contents of their corn depots in town were any indication, the young Commander suspected ten more people feeding upon them should not be a problem, especially given the possible benefits to the outskirts.

Suddenly, Thundering Eagle pulled his horse to a stop, listening closely to the sounds around him. His eyes darted around, searching the countryside, and his nose was standing high in the air, trying to sniff the very essence of the land itself.

The wind grazed through the trees, a few birds sang, and nearby, a small stream gurgled quietly. The forest around him appeared lush green, with a few last rabbits disappearing between the trees, fleeing from the horse and the potential threat to their lives. The air smelled fresh, the recent rain shower having purged the late summer heat and the nearby trees spreading their odours.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing that would be unusual, nothing that would alert the young warrior to trouble, and nothing that would cause him to stop in his tracks. At the same time, Thundering Eagle could feel he was needed in the west, which would lead him away from Shank'anon in the south.

"Always trust your instincts. In a fight, you have no time to stop and think, " Barking Wolf had told him on many occasions. Trusting is late mentor's advice, Thundering Eagle spurred his horse into a full gallop, speeding along the narrow path through the trees.

Minutes later, around the hill he was travelling by, and well out of sight of his previous position, a bright white light burst through the trees, finally giving the rider an indication of his target. Altering his course, the young Commander finally bust into small clearing, his heart pounding in his chest, hoping to finally find out more about the strange light he had first used the day Barking Wolf had found him. A small sledge, filled with corn, meat and skins lay overturned, while an older man and a young girl, his granddaughter, most likely, cowered behind it.

Before them, holding back a burly, armed man stood a lone young woman, a small sharp stone extended out in front of her. Blood covered her chest around a hole in her clothing, although Thundering Eagle could not see a wound underneath. The attacker, on the other hand, seemed to be limping slightly, causing Thundering Eagle suspected the woman had managed to stab his left leg with her stone, judging from the red hue on the stone she carried.

A second attacker lay dead on a tree behind him, a whole thrice as thick as an arm going all the way through his chest. From his own experience, as well as from the way both the two travellers as well as the attacker stared at the young woman, Thundering Eagle suspected he had found the source of the white light that had seemed so eerily familiar earlier.

"In the name of Roaring Lion, Clan Leader of Shank'anon, halt!" As engrossed as the quartet was in the fight, they had apparently missed the large horse breaking into the clearing. Immediately, though, the second attacker spotted the feared commander of the Wolves and took of into the forest, running for his life.

Calmly, Thundering Eagle reached back, nicked an arrow, and sent it flying after the running man. From the old man's head wound, and the slight tear on the young girls clothing, he could easily imagine just what these two men had tried. He detested rapist, and there was no place to keep them locked up.

On the short distance, Thundering Eagle hit his target easily, sending the man down, never to get back up again. While the Commander disliked killing, he knew there was no alternative available, but letting the criminal go unpunished, which was, of course, unacceptable.

Swinging of his horse, he carefully approached the three travellers, making sure to show them his empty hands. "It's all right. My name is Thundering Eagle. I am the Commander of the 'Wolves of Shank'anon'. You are safe now. It's over. Are you hurt?"

The old man was the first to move towards him, showing him a gash along his head. "Thank you for your aid, young man. I got hit with something hard, but it does not seem deep, so I suspect it will heal again. I am old, though, so you never know." Thundering Eagle was surprised to see the young woman open her pack and pass a small pouch over to the elder.

"Ideally, you should boil the herbs in water, but for now, just mash them and put them on the wound. They should aid healing and prevent pus."

"Thank you." Addressing both the young woman and the rider, he continued "My name is Quiet Falcon, and this is my granddaughter Little Gazelle. We were on our way to trade day when these man attacked us and the lady saved us."

Surprised, Thundering Eagle turned towards the young woman, who still wearily glanced at him every once in a while while retying her pack. Women travelling alone were rare in itself, but to seek out a confrontation while doing so was unheard of. For the first time, the warrior took in the young woman before him and was intrigued by her beauty. Her skin shone fairer than that of any other woman he had ever seen, although it still held the typical golden hue everybody in area had. Her eyes were a light green, a colour Thundering Eagle had never seen on a human before, and her hair, tied back into a single plait, shone dark black. At the same time, her stance projected a certain grace and strength that spoke of a great ability.

"Then you have my thanks, my lady. It is my responsibility to protect this clan, and you made it possible for me to arrive in time to see the last of it. Might I enquire as to who you are? Are you injured – do you require assistance of any kind?"

Finally, the woman lowered her makeshift weapon and regarded Thundering Eagle critically. "My name is Shining Moon. I, too, am headed for Shank'anon, where I hope to start a new life. I heard of it is the only place on earth where people life free of fear and hunger, and I wished to see it for myself. As you just saw, I learnt about the plants around us and how they can help with wounds and sickness."

Looking around, and spotting the dead man lying with his back against a tree nearby, she looked upset for a moment. "I must thank you for your timely arrival, though. I'm not sure what happened to him, but for a moment, when the other guy stabbed me, I was sure I would die. I felt the pain, and simply held on to save the girl. Then, there was this white flash, and the next thing I know, that guy is dead and I am alive. Desperately, I stabbed for the last one, but he got away and picked up his spear again. There is no way I could have defeated either of those men."

Turning to pierce her saviour with a look, she then inspected him from head to toe. "I have heard your tale, of course, young Commander. They say you have been in many battles before. Have you ever seen anything like this? What kind of magic is this? Which god do I thank for this?"

"I, too, saw the light, as I suspect did the other three. I have never heard any tales of that light, though, and have only seen it twice before.

I know the light you are talking about, for I have felt it before, as well. Just like you, I thought I was dying, but held on to protect an innocent. In the end, though, it was all in vain. She died, but one of her attackers had been blasted off his horse much like this one was. And when I saw a bowman try to kill my father, I actually, semi-consciously, made the light shoot him with lightning."

For a moment, Thundering Eagle was sure the woman before him was going to laugh at him, while at the same time wondering just what exactly had made him trust her with his secrets. Sure, the old Wolves, who had been there when he saved his father, had seen what happened, but all of them were sworn to secrecy. Not even Roaring Lion knew the whole story of how is name came to be.

Now, though, he was opening up to a stranger. At the same time, Thundering Eagle realized, he might have finally found somebody who was just as him, and who might actually understand him. Somebody who did not hesitate to do what is right, no matter the personal cost and who would sacrifice herself to save the innocent.

"Please, allow me to accompany you for a while, just until we reach the edge of patrolled territory, to make sure nothing more is going to happen."

Even as all three travellers protested, although Thundering Eagle could see in Shining Moon's case only half-heartedly, the young Commander swung of his horse, before taking the proud animal by its reigns.

"Commander, really, we could not possibly impose. A man such as yourself must have other things to do than to attend to an old farmer and two women. We know of your duty, young friend."

"My duty is to protect the citizens of Clan Shank'anon at all costs. You are members of the clan, and as such I am simply doing my duty here."

With quick movements, the warrior righted the overturned sledge and started reloading the supplies onto it, before attaching the whole thing to his faithful steed.

While the way was comfortable, it was also long, allowing for a lot of conversation between the four wanderers. On horseback, Arthur could have returned to Shank'anon in a few days. Wandering, the group needed almost a week to arrive in town.

Although the old farmer had a few fascinating stories to tell, Thundering Eagle found himself drawn back to the young woman regularly, yearning for her companionship and her kind soul. Happily, he noted she seemed just as eager to talk to him.

Shining Moon had grown up in the tribe-less territory in the north. After the death of the Jackal and so many of their men, most villages had decided to take their fates into their own hands once again. Shining Moon, who was eight cycles younger than Thundering Eagle, had finally chosen to leave her village behind when her mother died after her father and brother had not returned from the war.

With a sign, Thundering Eagle realized that he might very well be the murderer of the family of this young woman. Up to the war, the men he had fought and killed had chosen their lives as plunderers and murderers, and the young solider had no intention of allowing them to continue tormenting the innocent. The army the Jackal brought, though, consisted of conscripts, forced into service by a power hungry murderer.

When he had voiced his thoughts to the woman besides him, she gave him a small smile and reached out to squeeze his hand gently. "If anything, I should be the one to apologize to you. My father or brother might just as well have been the one to kill your father. They were the intruders into your lands, aiming to conquer your land, while you fought for your freedom and ideals. There is no doubt that you fought for honour, and with a noble heart."

By the time, the quartet reached Shank'anon, the two had formed a deep bond of friendship, that was slowly blooming into love. Within the year Thundering Eagle approached his Clan Leader to ask him to join their hands in marriage. Together, the pair moved into the house Thundering Eagle had build with Barking Wolf almost half his life ago.

Life continued in Shank'anon happily. While the fields around them could finally not sustain a larger population, which slowed the city's growth to an almost halt, the clan continued to prosper under the leadership of Roaring Lion's skilled authority, growing in land and wealth.

Shining Moon and Thundering Eagle lived a peaceful, usual relationship, even through they were never blessed with children of their own. Although the young commander regularly led part of his troops to patrol the surrounding lands, sometimes for as long as two weeks at a time, the pair happily admitted to each other that they felt their partner was always there, in the back of their mind.

Roaring Lion remained child and wifeless. He claimed that his true love was Shank'anon, and he doubted she would forgive him should he ever took another wife. Unfortunately, though, in a few cycles the latest, he would likely rise up to join the ancestors in the sky, as the first signs of ageing appeared on his face, already.

"Commander! Commander Thundering Eagle!" The Clan Leaders young aid sprinted towards him. "The clan leader wants to see you immediately. Some old man has come and asked for an audience. Apparently, the Clan Leader is weary and asked for your advice and presence."

With a nod to the other four Wolves manning the little guard house and a quick peck on his wife's cheek, Thundering Eagle grabbed his knife and joined the young man waiting at the door.

On his way up to Lion's Hall, as the Clan Leaders residence was now called, he was once again astonished by the size of the small city they had build. Everywhere, the small shacks had been expanded to comfortable little houses standing side by side. Every dozen houses or so, a small well had been dug to give the town and its people access to fresh water to drink and work with.

The man standing in front of Lion's Hall surprised Thundering Eagle. When he had been informed an old man was waiting, he had inwardly pictured a cripple, barely able to stand on his own. The man in front of him, though, while undeniably old, possibly even the oldest person Thundering Eagle had ever met, stood tall and proud, with a strength many of the residents of Shank'anon wished to posses. Only his silver grey hair, and, as the Commander came closer, the wisdom and weariness in his eyes revealed the visitor's true age.

As he approached, Thundering Eagle was surprised to see the man, who had so far been focused completely on the entrance to the residence, swirling around to look directly had him. For a moment, surprised crossed the strangers features, before he smiled softly, his eyes shining with, what Thundering Eagle instantly recognized as hope. Many of the new immigrants into clan lands had the same look.

"Greetings, stranger. Welcome to our city. Please, proceed, my Clan Leader, Roaring Lion, should be waiting for us."

The pair entered the hall silently, where Roaring Lion stood waiting.

"Greeting, friends. I thank you for allowing me entry to your home and to hear me out." The stranger's voice was surprisingly smooth for somebody who had seen at least fifty cycles in his life.

"Shank'anon is always open to those who seek refugee, friend. I admit to be curious, though, you appear to be quite old to be travelling alone, and most people are happy to live here in peace without the interruption of an audience with me." While the two man talked, Thundering Eagle walked around the room to stand behind his Clan Chief to be able to see the stranger's face.

"Alas, young man, I'm afraid you have mistaken me. I have not come here to live here but to warn you. My travels have just begun, and I hope to see a lot more yet."

Instantly, Thundering Eagle was intrigued.

"To warn us?" Apparently, so was the Clan Leader.

"Indeed. My name is Moros. I am a leader amongst my people, but we have recently fled from a terrible foe. Fortunately, we are now far outside his reach of influence, but on our way, we have spotted a new enemy approaching. The gods in the lands of the south have started to spread their influence. They are steadily coming north, and your beautiful city will seem like an invitation to them."

"Let them come." For the first time, Thundering Eagle spoke. "My men are ready. No one will be able to defeat us, especially not some so called gods and their great power."

"I pray you are right, but I know you are wrong. These gods are no gods, but their power is far greater than anything most of you ever encountered."

"Most of us? As I said, my men are strong. We will stop these gods here, before our gates. Shank'anon has not fallen and will not fall."

"Do not be a fool, young man. There are power even beyond your understanding yet. Do not mistaken your strength for wisdom. Yield, if you really want to protect your people, for the enemy shoots deadly and flies through the air like a bird." The stranger, Moros, seemed to become agitated, causing Roaring Lion to interfere.

"We thank you for your warnings, friend, and ask you to join us for a meal tonight. Then, perhaps, you can see why we are willing to fight for what we have. Stay a few days, and allow yourself to enjoy the beauty of Shank'anon as my personal guest."

Dinner that night was a subdued affair. The news of a new enemy approaching had quickly spread through the city and into the land beyond, making many people nervous. While their numbers had replenished since their last war, most families still remembered the despair of seeing your loved ones ebb away and the hardship that followed.

When Shining Moon entered at Thundering Eagle's side, Moros rose to greet her and implored her to aid him make her husband see reason. Shining Moon, while surprised at being spoken to by this stranger, quickly realized the man before her expected her honest opinion.

"I have seen my husband fight. He can easily overpower every other man I have ever met. He is faster and stronger than anyone else I ever met."

"I'm sure he is, " Moros conceded honestly, surprising the woman before him. "However, as strong as your husband is, can he be everywhere at once? Can he defend the whole city by himself? Can he rise up to the sky to meet the enemy there?"

Thundering Eagle, sitting on his wife's other side and listening in on the conversation, finally had enough. "I am afraid you were blinded by lies and falsehood, old man. No man can fly through the air, and no one can be as powerful as you say."

Exhaling slowly, the old traveller pushed himself to his feet and excused himself from the table. Finally, just as he was about to leave the table he turned to the room at large. "I suspect you have another week at the most until the gods are upon you. They are taking their time getting here, making sure to quell all resistance on the way. Good luck, everybody."

Turning to the young couple next to him, he asked them outside for a quick word.

"What is it, my friend? My Clan Leader is privy to all information I acquire anyway, so I'll report back the moment we finish our talk here." Thundering Eagle clearly did not think the old man had anything interesting to say to him.

"You will have to excuse my husband, please. Your news puts a lot of stress on him."

"Do not worry about my feelings needlessly. I have asked you out here because I have some ideas about what you are. You are different from the other humans, special, and, in a way, similar to my people.

Your destiny, however, is much greater than what awaits my people. Your task will be to defend humanity until they are ready to rise up and defend themselves and all others from great and powerful foes like those who defeated my people. To help you with that, I wish to give you three pieces of advice. Unfortunately, the others of my people do not want me to speak to you at all, so we will have to be brief. Please, do not ask questions, since I won't be able to answer them anyways."

He could easily see that the two people standing before him were enraptured by his speech ever since he had called them special. Most likely, they still did not know what they were, and figured that nobody else knew, either.

"First of all, as I already said, you are special. I know you can not die easily, not from old age, and not from some minor wounds. I suspect you can control how your body looks, can communicate without talking, and sent light from your hands to manipulate the world around you. Explore that, for it will aid you in many ways."

Moros had to bite back a laugh threatening to escape when he saw all the questions the warrior and his wife had trouble holding back. He was well aware that he was flooding them with way too much information for now, most of which they can not understand yet. Still, they had to know if things were to work out.

"Secondly, over the years, there will be others like you. I am unsure whether or not you can have family of your own, although, if you can, it will probably take many years for you to become with child, but others will go through the same process you did - an act of pure goodness combined with a fierce will to do battle. Find them and recruit them, for they all share your believes. You will know them and where and when they appear. Only together, united as equals, can you succeed.

Thirdly, and most importantly, is that you will have to learn. Your enemies, all of them, hold great knowledge – to you, it might even seem like magic. From now on, you will have to learn about the world around you, either through teachers or through experimentation by yourselves. I know you have never done this, so I'll try to explain."

The old traveller's posture seemed to shift slightly as he turned from a strategic advisor into a teacher lecturing his pupils.

"Science, which is what we call the art of learning about nature, is mainly about observations and quantification. Let's talk about motion, for example. To be able to talk about motion, we first have to define what motion is, and theorize what key points of motion might be.

Motion is the moving of an object from one point to another. To sufficiently talk about motion, we therefore have to find a way to define two points and the distance between them, and a way to measure the time it takes to travel. Speed, which ultimately quantifies motion, is therefore not an independent measurement, but depends on the other two. Of course, the more precise you can talk about any form of measurement, the better. For example telling you to meet me two days out of town is useless. On foot, you would not have nearly gotten as far as by horse. Even telling you two days out of town by horse does not help much. An old, weak farm horse would not have gotten as far as the best warhorse in the clan's stables.

Lastly, though, you will have to experiment and guess. Many of the things you have to think about will seem trivial to you at first, but are really quite complicated. If you, for example, throw a stone into the air, it comes back down. All things do, eventually. So it would stand to reason that the earth pulls everything towards it. On the other hand, birds have the ability to fly, and the moon stays in the sky.

At the same time, you can try to think about what all matter is made of and what the air around us is made of. What is lightning? What is the difference between a worm, a mouse and a human? Where does mankind come from?

I do know the answers to this, or at least I think I do. In fact, my people consider most of it rather basic, but you will have to think about it for yourselves. There are countless questions out there, and just asking them will help you. Just keep in mind that everything you ever see can be explained, it just might take a lot of time for you to do so. First, though, you will need to find a way to remember things, to store knowledge, for a long time.

I wish you the best of luck, my friends, may the universe watch over you. Maybe, someday, we might meet again. Think about what I told you, but for now concentrate on those approaching so called gods. At least consider yielding, because I am not sure any good can come from fighting them already. Do not forget, though, you must protect humanity."

With that, the old man disappeared into the night, going as quietly as he came, leaving behind confusion, worry, and, most of all, determination.

Thundering Eagle was determined to stand up to these gods, though, and ignored the ramblings of a crazy old man. Once again, riders were sent out to call the young men of clan Shank'anon to their city in order to mount a defence. This time, though, since they had no idea where the enemy was coming from, no advanced team was sent out to intercept them.

In the end, eight hundred young men had gathered in front of the town's only available entrance, the south gate, ready and geared for battle. Trusting in the old and proved tactic, Thundering Eagle assumed command of the army and ordered the other four soldiers of his squad to assume command of one fourth of the volunteers each. The other three squads of five Wolves each were to harass the enemy and attack their leaders whenever they could. Thankfully, Clan Leader Roaring Lion had, this time, acknowledged that he was not fit for the battlefield and chose to remain behind inside the city, waiting and observing the battle from Lion's Hall.

On the eve of the eighth day since the arrival of the stranger, just as Thundering Eagle began to suspect they had been fooled by someone playing on their greatest fear, one of the sentries reported a large triangle, about the size of a large house, approaching the city, flying fast and high in the sky.

Unbelieving, the army stared up at the little pyramid that approached them with impossible speeds. Within moments, the ship had moved from it's small spot on the horizon to the last hills before Shank'anon, where it finally slowed down.

A hole opened up on the flying hose, and a small turret was extended, that swung towards the assembled army before spitting yellow fire.

Explosions rocked the ground as men were thrown around like rag dolls. Dozens died on the field before Thundering Eagle even understood they were under attack. Dozens more died while feasibly trying to reach the flying house high above the ground with arrows or javelins. Still, the enemy did not slow down, but instead passed over the assembled army, seemingly ignoring it.

Suddenly, Thundering Eagle understood what was happening. "Wolves to me! They are heading for the city. All Wolves to me!"

Although his shouts were barely heard over the confusion and the cries of the simple men in the army, the commander trusted his men to either see him or to figure it out themselves and turned his horse around, pushing it into the city with multiple shouts and kicks. Apparently, the ship had slowed down further while raining fire onto the city, because Thundering Eagle actually managed to reach Lion's Hall just before they did.

Halting his horse in the entrance way, he drew his prepared bow from his back and watched the flying house, which had now begun to hover right above the little cobbled square before him.

A second hole appeared on the bottom of the strange conception in the air, before a white light shone forth. Four silver rings dropped down for a moment, hovering in mid air. A white pulse of light finally sent them back to their resting place in the flying house, leaving behind a young, attractive woman of maybe twenty five cycles, with dark hair and a golden skin, dressed in what appeared to be clothing made from gold. Ten large, unnaturally strong men surrounded her, all of them dark skinned and dressed in strange silver plated clothing, carrying large, silver sticks and a strange symbol inked on their forehead. Thundering Eagle had found his first target, though.

Loosening his arrow, he watched in morbid fascination as one of the men, the only one with a golden symbol, stepped in front of the woman's body, shielding her with his own without hesitation.

"Jaffa! Kree!" The Commander could have sworn he saw the woman's eyes flash golden for a moment when she had shouted out, her voice unnaturally deep and distorted. While fishing for a new arrow, Thundering Eagle wondered just where the hell his men were. Just as he had found a new one, nicking it to fire a second shot, the dark skinned men began to fan out, pointing their sticks at him, while the woman in the centre of the group, their leader, most likely, calmly walked towards him, lifting her left hand.

A soft, reddish golden glow was all the warning he got before Thundering Eagle felt himself being lifted off his horse and crashed into the wall behind him. Dazed, he watch as the woman and her guards marched into the residence while the strange, floating rings transported more men down behind them. Finally, he could see his Wolves riding up the path, loosening arrows into their attackers.

The enemies sticks seemed to open up in the front, and a little sizzling sound could be heard, before ten bolts of yellow fire crashed into the Wolves, killing a few of them and throwing most of the others of their horses.

A cry from inside Lion's Hall finally pulled the warrior fully back into reality. Jumping up, Thundering Eagle charged into the residence, dodging the yellow fire coming his way. Using the speed he had gathered, the crashed into the first of the males in the path between himself and where he could see the golden woman standing above his Clan Leader, her hand extended while he withered in pain underneath, sending himself and his victim to the ground.

A quick jab to the abdomen with his elbow brought the first of the guards down, before the Commander rolled back to his feet, immediately kicking out against the next of the men, striking his chin and hearing a satisfying crunch.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Looking up, Thundering Eagle saw the woman catch the staff one of her soldiers had thrown at her. Smirking in his direction, the tip opened and yellow fire spit forth, striking the barely conscious Roaring Lion in the head before Thundering Lion even had a chance to fully understand what was happening. In a shower of blood, the Clan Leader left this life behind to join the ancestors, his headless body lifelessly sinking to the ground.

"I am the Egeria, your goddess! Ra, God over all Gods, my mate, has sent me here to rule in his name and to reward me for my services. Your strength intrigues me, human. Swear to serve me, and I will spare your life and that of your pitiful town."

Seeing his Clan Leader dead before him and hearing the sounds of his men fighting and dying behind him, Thundering Eagle made his decision. Heeding the old stranger's warning, he took the only option he had left.

"Great goddess Egeria. I beg you, be merciful and save my men and I swear to serve you in your greatness."

"All those who oppose me will die, including this pitiful resistance out there."

"Allow me to talk to them, please, goddess, they simply do not know of your power. Once they do, they will eagerly serve you."

Apparently, brown-nosing was not unappreciated, since the woman in front of him nodded for him to proceed and followed outside.

"Very well. I will spare all those who do not oppose me and swear fertility to their one true goddess."

The emergence of the two enemy leaders brought an instant halt to the fighting in the small courtyard, the soldiers on both sides wearily alternating between watching their enemies and their own leader.

"Men of Shank'anon, here me out. Our Clan Leader Roaring Lion is dead. There is nothing left to fight for, anymore, for all fighting now would just spill the blood of his legacy.

Beside me is Egeria, the great goddess, mate of Rad, God of the Gods, beauty above all. Hail her, for she has spared our lives and forgiven us our sins. Go home tonight and drink and laugh in her name, for your lives have been touched by a goddess of immense power."

Thundering Eagle could see quite a few disgruntled faces in the crowds before him and memorized each and every one of them. Their lives were still close to being wiped out, and a few men becoming violent right now simply would not do. He would have to talk to them tonight to keep them quiet.

Most people, though, including the handful Wolves still standing, seemed to understand the fight was lost. Slowly but surely, the crowd started to dissolve, people muttering quietly to each other. Remaining behind, though, was a field of dead. Hundreds of men had been cut down by the yellow fire; may their souls find peace with the ancestors. For a moment, Thundering Eagle regretted not heeding the old stranger's advice, and yielding before this massacre took place, while at the same time wondering whether or not they did the right thing. He did, however, get a small satisfaction from seeing a hand full of the strong, dark skinned warriors dead on the ground as well, pierced by bows from the ground and, in one case, stabbed by the spear of a Wolf laying dead nearby.

"I like you, little warrior." Egeria spoke condescendingly. "Continue to serve me this well, and you will quickly rise through my ranks. For now, I will allow you to retire. I expect you back here by sunrise tomorrow, to offer me a breakfast fit for my position."

"I live to serve, great goddess." For a moment, Thundering Eagle was sure his back was not meant to be bent this far. Straightening up again, however, he was sure he saw a small smile playing along his conqueror's lips.

"My lady will do fine."

"Thank you, my lady." Once again, the former Commander of the most elite, although only fighting group in their known world accented his words with a small bow.

Thundering Eagle did not sleep much that night. First off, he quickly checked in with his wife to make sure she was all right, even though, in the back of his mind, he knew it to be true. After embracing Shining Moon for a moment, and enjoying her presence as well as the little meal she had prepared, he once again embarked to seek out those he had attracted his notice earlier, convincing them to lay low and not to try anything.

Afterwards, after making his way through town and speaking with several friends, he found the remainder of his nineteen Wolves, a meagre five of them, huddled in the guard house.

"Commander! I am so sorry. Had we been faster, I'm sure we could have saved Roaring Lion. What are we going to do now? Say the word, and we will be ready!"

Similar statements met Thundering Eagle from all the survivors.

"We lost, my friends. As of tomorrow morning, the Clan Shank'anon, and therefore the Wolves of Shank'anon will have ceased to exist. A new era has begun, one where we have to accept a new leader. From what I have seen so far, we have hard times ahead of us, but now more than ever, we must stick together. Keep your nose down and your wits together. Try to find something useful to do.

Tonight, though, I will need your help one more time, my friends."

"We are yours to command, Sir, you know that."

Thundering Eagles eyes flashed dangerously for a moment, before he gave his men a small smile.

"We have been through so much together, and I really appreciate how you stuck with me from the very beginning. From now on, though, we have only one leader. I do not know Egeria – I never even met a goddess before – so I can not predict how she would react to hearing my title. From now on, call me by my name, and tell the others as well.

Tonight, however, is all about making a good first impression. She has retired for the night, so we have until sunrise tomorrow to prepare the town in her honour. Organize the survivors of the battle. Sent those from the city, who know the lands around here, out into the woods to cut down the most majestic branches and to pick the most colourful flowers they can find, like we do on Victory Day every year. Decorate the whole town, but focus on the area around Lion's Hall.

Everybody else, take our dead out of town. Make sure to burn them properly, so that their souls may join the others in the afterlife. I will talk to the guards to find out how their dead are to be treated."

Stepping out of a guards house, Thundering Eagle found Strong Bear waiting for him. Strong Bear was the only one in town capable of producing stone sharp enough to be used as knives, without having the luck of finding it at the river.

"How could you, you little idiot. Roaring Lion is probably crying bitter tears in the sky right now, seeing you destroy his legacy, giving it away like this."

Thundering Eagle snapped. "Roaring Lion was my best friend, and I like to think I was his as well. His legacy is neither the buildings nor the fields around town. It's the people living here, together, peacefully, and the idea behind it. What I did today was the hardest thing I ever did, but I had to do it to save Roaring Lion's legacy."

Thundering Eagle was aware he was shouting at the end, and he knew people were listening on their conversation. Still, he was surprised just how many people had come out this late. Turning, he addressed the crowd.

"My heart weeps, for we have lost a giant among men. Roaring Lion founded a clan from nothing more than a small village. He made friends in all directions of the land, and welcomed every needing soul into his home. I should know, because I was one of these souls. Lonely, poor, helpless, and yet, I found a home here. It is a home I am willing to give my life to defend. The home, however, is not a collection of houses. It is my wife, my friends, the Wolves, and everyone else who cares for this place. This foe in Lion's Hall does not have a slight advantage. Yes, we did manage to kill a quarter of her guards, but I saw her fight. She threw me off my horse without touching me, she inflicted pain upon Roaring Lion that was enough for him to welcome the relief of death when it finally came. In addition, they brought their flying house. Many of our homes are still smouldering. A pile of black ash is all that remains from the life many of us had.

Additionally, there are the tales from the refugees from the south.

They say their gods have a flying mountain, many times bigger than any house they have ever seen. They say the gods have hundreds of soldiers like these ones here, ready at their beck and call. They say the gods have dozens of flying houses, all of them capable of wiping out entire villages from above. And today, I find myself thanking the ancestors that they only chose to bring one house here and that, at the end of the fight, I still had a home and a wife to come home to. I weep for those of you who lost somebody, but remember that this was war, and our foe lost people as well. Remember, that it could be not only your husbands, but your kids lying dead as well. Remember, that it could be you yourself, lying on the floor, begging for mercy as your life force slowly ebbs out of you.

We have a lot to be thankful for today, my friends, as strange as that may seem. So I implore you, help me be thankful tonight, and make sure this town is fit to presented to our new goddess."

.

Egeria was pleased when she woke up the next morning. Four months ago, her Lord Ra had released her from her service at his court to form a dominion of her own. Taking her loyal Jaffa and a Tel'kesh, a mixture of the reliable Tel'tak and the more modern Al'kesh, gifts for her years of continuous service to the Supreme System Lord, she left the known and claimed lands of the Tau'ri and travelled north.

Her way up the the coast of the local ocean had lead her across several settlements, several of which she visited and inspected. In the end, though, none of them proved to be right until her sensors picked up an unusual high concentration of people. Coming closer, she realized with a certain level of amusement that the humans apparently had prepared an army to fight her.

Gesturing to her first prime, their small ship slowed down and activated the belly turret to fire into the amassed fighters. The Goa'uld Queen was well aware that, with enough bloodshed, nobody down there would dare to question her superiority.

Continuing to rain down plasma, the small vessel approached the town centre, where a two story building prominently rose over its surroundings. Egeria was intrigued. All the other towns she had founded since leaving Ra's territory were hardly more than a large village, but the settlement underneath her now easily could be called a town. It would make a fine seat for her empire, indeed.

Arriving at the central square, she joined her First Prime and several other Jaffa on the ring platform to take control of the ground forces herself. These savages down there should, after all, be allowed see their goddess as quickly as possible.

Upon rematerialization, however, she quickly noticed an arrow approaching her. While primitive, she was well aware this weapon could seriously injure or even kill her, the symbiote, if it hit her neck and spinal cord. Before she had a chance to move or react, though, her first prime had already taken the arrow for her, pushing himself into its path.

Incensed at the loss of her most loyal and talented warrior, Egeria powered up her hand device to unleash a shock wave against the rider. With a satisfied smirk, she watched him slide down the wall of her future palace, clearly knocked out at least.

Behind her, she vaguely realized her Jaffa were being attacked. Her goal, however, lay forwards. A few powerful strides brought her into the palace, where an older man awaited her, a spear in hand and a knife on his hip. Clearly, this was whoever was in charge here. His eyes told her that the man before her was used to being obeyed, although his fighting stance was not that of a seasoned warrior.

Activating her hand device once more, she systematically began destroying the leader's mind, knowing that any change would be going so much smoother when the people could see their previous leader broken and begging for death before them.

A cry broke the Goa'uld Queen's attention from her torture. Turning around, she saw the lone rider, who had dared to attack her, tearing through her remaining Jaffa. A human should not even stand a chance against the genetically engineered warriors in hand to hand combat, never mind disabling them in three seconds flat.

Realizing she had to act quickly, she grabbed for one of the staff weapons nearby and, after making sure her attacker had a clear view, executed the town's leader.

Resistance stopped immediately. Apparently, the loyalty of the man before her was just a tad short of fanatical, and the death of his leader had shocked him greatly. A man like this would make a great Lotar, though, if she could win his loyalty.

Apparently, his loyalty and prowess in battle were still no match for his intelligence and the devotion he inspired in others. Efficiently, he had managed to calm the whole town, completely halting a possibly bloody rebellion before it really became rolling. At the same time, she could see his disgust with what he did for her in his eyes. The whole thing was quite amusing to watch, really.

The next morning, then, the whole town had been decorated for a large celebration. The dead of the previous day had been brought away and burned in the fields before town, and beautiful flowers had been put up anywhere. By the time Egeria woke up and ringed down to the surface, it was almost noon and he was standing ready in the town square, seemingly unbothered by having to wait for her since sunrise, despite the tiredness she could see in his eyes. Yes, he would make a fine Lotar indeed.

"We hoped to please you, my lady, and wish to welcome you to our home. Shank'anon is the home of the most prosperous clan we ever encountered, and the wealth in food displays that. For you, my lady, we have brought together our very best."

The meal laid out in bowls and plates over the square actually impressed the Goa'uld. There were different types of meat, fruit, vegetables, and even two types of bread waiting for her to inspect and try them. For an culture as primitive as theirs was, it was certainly impressive to be able to understand their environment as well as they did.

"What is your name, human? Today, you have pleased me, and you shall be rewarded."

"My name is Thundering Eagle, my lady. No reward is necessary, though. I simply serve my goddess." For a moment, the commander wondered whether or not he had been fawning a bit too much, but as it turned out, there is no such thing when dealing with the Goa'uld.

"Then your reward shall be to serve me. From now on, you will act as my personal aid, to serve me and to bring my word to the people. From now on, you shall live in the palace to be close to aid me."

That was actually more than Thundering Eagle had hoped for. The closer he got to the invader, the better he would be able to learn from her. After all, according to the old traveller, there were several more just like her he would have to overcome in time.

Egeria, on the other hand, was well aware of the risks of giving a warrior, one who hated her, even, access to her quarters. She would have to keep a close eye on him, but in the end, she needed a human slave to tend to her bodily needs and to provide her with an alternate host in case of emergency. While she preferred females, his strong physique and above average skills made him an excellent choice for both tasks.

"You honour me, my lady. Might I enquire as to what will happen to my wife? She is an excellent cook and well versed in the healing herbs."

To be separated at this point, in the proximity of the enemy and so shortly after their talk with the strange old traveller was not something Thundering Eagle wished for.

"I am in a good mood, human. You may bring her to live with you."

Shining Moon stepped up to the duo, apparently being close enough to hear the conversation and courtesied low.

"Thank you, my lady, for this chance. I will prove myself worthy of your service. For now though, may my husband and I show you the wonders of your new home?"

For a moment, Thundering Eagle thought he saw Egeria's eyes flashing golden once more and her face twisting with rage. Before he could prepare himself to defend his wife, though, her face relaxed once more.

"Do not presume to know more than a goddess. I know everything there is to know. I do not have anything to do for today, though, so I might as well be seen by my people. They are, after all, to know and worship me."

For the rest of the day, husband and wife led the goddess through the town they had come to love and presented her with the wonders of Shank'anon, such as the baker's new, sweet buns with little pieces of fruit and honey or the cloth-maker's new garment, a protection for riders lying directly on the legs instead of the wider skirt.


	6. 6 Fine Line Between Enemies and Friends

**Chapter 6: The Fine Line Between Enemies and Friends**

The next fifteen years were dreadful for the people of Shank'anon. While Egeria kept true to her initial promise and did not needlessly slaughter the inhabitants, she did demand large parts of the harvest for herself, leaving little for the people. Withholding food, and all other crimes, were dealt with swiftly and, in most cases, fatally by her completely loyal Jaffa guard. Minor crimes against the goddess, such as not bowing or speaking out of turn, merely resulted in increased working hours at the goddess new great temple outside of town, the first building the people had ever seen that was not made from wood but from stone. Until it was finished, though, the conquering goddess had made Lion Hall her new home and main temple. As a result of the forced labour and the high taxes, Trade Day quickly shrunk down until it disappeared again, leaving the villages to cope for themselves and the city to a small famine as their main source of income disappeared.

The people of Shank'anon stood firm and united, though. Working together, they mostly averaged enough food to keep their new ruler happy. In many cases, Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon were able to use their position at court to either appeal to Egeria, or to distract her from the shortcomings. In a few, rare cases, though, some of the elderly and sick had to sacrifice themselves to protect their families, claiming to be responsible for the supposed crimes. These days were the days Thundering Eagle was most thankful for his wifes calming presence, when he was ready to storm the palace and attack the conqueress.

Together, after Moros had finally given them some hints, the pair quickly began to extend their control and understanding over the strange powers they were blessed with. In close proximity, they now communicated in emotions and pictures in their minds, as well as the spoken word. Whenever they had a chance to leave town, and after making sure they were not being followed, they would experiment with the more destructive side of their gifts, recreating the blasts and the lightning they had used before. While the destruction they could cause was impressive, it took them long to build up a state of mind in which they were able to access their powers, the calming infinity of energy ready for them to tap into, and had little control over what they destroyed.

Changing their body, though, proved difficult. Not only could they not picture themselves being anything else then what they were, they also feared making changes that would be irreversible. The first break through here happened by accident about ten years after the fall of Roaring Lion. Cutting food in the kitchen to serve the goddess, Shining Moon slipped and brought her knife down on her finger right through the first joint on the pointer of her left hand.

Once she had overcome her shock and had defeated the pain cursing through her, Shining Moon began mourning the feel of her five fingers, and the way she is no longer able to properly hold the knife. As she stood in the kitchen, her eyes closed and cradling her left hand protectively against her body, she suddenly became aware that the pain slowly regressed.

When she once again looked down at her hand, only the blood hinted at her previous injury. From that day on, she and her husband would try to make little changes to non-visible parts of their bodies to practise, starting out by purposely injuring themselves and healing again.

"Why do you serve me?"

Egeria's question came suddenly, one day like so many others before, while Thundering Eagle moved through her throne room in the provisional temple. While he did not make a secret of his dislike for his goddess in town, she had so far tolerated it without any comment.

"You are my goddess. It is meaning of our existence to serve our superior." Thundering Eagle accented his words with his customary bow after he had turned towards Egeria.

"We both know those are not your true thoughts. You may speak freely, I give you my word not to punish you for your words."

"And my people?" After many years of service, Thundering Eagle had come to understand how the mind of his counterpart worked.

"Neither will I punish anybody else for what you say, as long as your words are truthful."

Although he saw the genuine interest of the goddess, Thundering Eagle still chose his words carefully. "Even before you came to us, tales of the gods of the south and their powers had reached us. We thought them to be exaggerated, so we chose to ignore them when we got warning that you were on our way up. Your arrival proved them all true. My loyalty ultimately lies with the people of Shank'anon and their safety is my foremost goal. Your rule so far has been harsh, but fair. The tales from the south told us about countless executions and the slaughter of women and children, so we are thankful for the peace we have. As long as you are here, my people have peace. As long as I serve you, no one else will attack. As long as you are alive, no one else may claim us."

"My Jaffa will teach you to use the staff weapon and the zat'ni'katel. In a week's time, we will take my ship north west to the domain of Lord Kherty to negotiate the borders of his new domain. I will require your wife's and your assistance there."

Thundering Eagle bowed low and left the room, recognizing that his answer had satisfied his leader and he had just moved up in her trust. She now gave him access to the powerful weapons only her loyal guards wielded.

.

Travelling in the flying house, or ship, as Egeria had called it, was a lot faster and more comfortable than travelling by horse or foot, Thundering Eagle decided as he stood next to his wife looking out the front window. Underneath, he could see the trees, mountains and rivers of Shank'anon passing by at unbelievable speed.

Egeria had informed him that while his services would be required at their target, the trip itself would be too short to really do anything. For the first time now, Thundering Eagle started to believe that. The speed they were travelling with seemed far greater than anything he had ever experienced before. Withing minuets, they would have left the far reaches of the lands he had explored in his life and venture into the unknown.

Before too long, the Jaffa controlling the vessel deftly turned his hands and caused the ship to slow down over a small settlement. While Shank'anon probably had more inhabitants than the town beneath them, it was certainly one of the largest ones Thundering Eagle had ever heard of. More surprising, though, was that each and every building was made from stone, including the largest building the couple had ever seen, with four triangular walls combining in the top to a small peak.

"Remember, do not talk to Lord Kherty's servants any more than necessary. They will try to worm information about my strength and wealth from you, so mind your mouth. Do not leave my food out of sight, and under no circumstance allow anybody else to handle it. Ah'ren, mind the ship."

Thundering Eagle dreaded ringing down to Lord Kherty's palace more than anything else. The first time he had done so earlier today had been so disorienting, he had been unable to take in his surroundings for several long moments. A period this long in enemy territory, where he was at their mercy, could be devastating, although apparently not deadly for him. Moros had been convinced of that.

In the end, though, his worry proved to be unfounded. Once he knew what to expect, the transport became a lot easier and there was no ambush waiting on the ground. Instead, two Jaffa flanked a young man dressed in a golden, flowing gown, while another man in simple cotton stood at the ready nearby.

"Welcome, Lady Egeria, to my lands. I trust your flight was comfortable?"

"It was short enough to be bearable. I do not like being confined to close spaces like this one."

"In that case, I hope a meal will be able to lighten your spirits. Jen'am will guide you to your quarters immediately. After you have rested, we will begin our talks."

The wealth displayed in the palace, or temple, as Kherty's servants called it, amazed the immortal couple continuously. They had just finished serving Egeria's meal and were now scouting the place's long, dark halways for later while their goddess had retired for bed. The quiet, metallic sound of a zat'ni'katel uncoiling was the only warning Thundering Eagle had before his world went black.

Shining Moon had trained with her husband for the last few years, ever since Moros had revealed their destiny to them. By the time the second blue bolt of energy left the futuristic, snake-like weapon, she was already rolling sideways into one of the corridors many alcoves, searching for cover. Peering outside, she saw Jen'am, Kherty's Lotar, as well as two Jaffa advance into the corridor, their weapons posed to strike, while her husband lay on the ground, unmoving but for the slight, regular raising of his chest.

Mentally counting to three to calm herself, Shining Moon crouched low before pushing herself of the ground and towards the first of her three attackers. The collision sent both bodies spinning to the ground, where the woman, empowered by her surprise attack and her husband's training, swiftly overcame her enemy, knocking him out. Before she could regain her footing, though, the pale golden wave of a hand device picked her up and threw her into the next wall. Lord Kherty simply observed as his Jaffa finally stunned her.

.

Thundering Eagle could not breath. The very first thing he realized when he awoke was the hand wrapped around his neck, squeezing him. Shortly after that, he identified the two Jaffa attackers holding himself and his wife up in a small, bare, windowless chamber while Lord Kherty watched unmoving from the only entrance, holding a tank with two snake-like creatures swimming in water. Next to him, a choke alerted him that his wife was awake as well, and had opened her mouth.

Apparently, that was just what the Lord had waited for. Reaching into the pot with his hands, Kherty pulled one of the animals within out and swiftly guided it up to Shining Moon's mouth.

"You bastard! Let her go! Wait until Lady Egeria hears you assaulted one of hers!" Somewhere in the back of his mind, the warrior was well aware that the hand on his voice box prevented anything more than a continuous gurgling from leaving his mouth. All of a sudden, a pressure on his lips brought his attention back to Lord Kherty, who had now finished with Shining Moon and held the second snake to Thundering Eagle's mouth.

Uncoiling, the creature jumped forward and into the open whole before it before quickly passing through the back of Thundering Eagle's throat with a sharp prick of pain.

"Stop struggling, little man. Your body is now mine." Thundering Eagle panicked. The voice he heard obviously came from within himself, yet the thoughts were not his own. All of a sudden, his head fell forward before coming back up involuntarily. The Jaffa let him go when a slight burn rushed through his eyes before his voice, now distorted like that of Kherty and Egeria spoke out. "It is done. The blending was successful. Cataloguing the hosts memories will take a while longer though."

"Let's see what we've got here, little human." Again, the voice was solely inside Thundering Eagles head. "How very interesting. Egeria really does not have anything to protect herself, does she? One ship and only a dozen of so Jaffa. Lord Kherty will be pleased. Now what is that? An old traveller, a destiny, strange powers..."

Thundering Eagle now started to panic. The voice was casually talking about his most well kept secrets which, as far as he understood the strange creature's comments, seemed to please it greatly. He could not allow this thing to get away with the information it had accessed.

Reaching into his powers like he had done so often before in training, the former commander allowed the calming infinity to wash over him before he pushed back with all the force he could muster, trying to regain his own body.

.

Satisfied, Lord Kherty watched as his newest servants gathered information on Egeria. He had claimed the area north of the Mediterranean sea as his and had extended his empire up to the mountains in the north. Going any further would be useless since most of his slaves would then be unable to come to him to pay tribute through the harsh mountain passes.

South of him, though, were the lands of Egeria. While the queen was one of Ra's favourites, not even the Supreme System Lord could deny his right of conquest when she surrendered to him. Additionally, the wealth of her lands was legendary, even among the Goa'uld and would easily elevate him to one of the most powerful Goa'ulds, maybe even a System Lord.

Once again, Lord Kherty marvelled the genius of the genetic engineer that created the Jaffa as a gift to gain Ra's favour. The bonding process was now foolproof, without any danger to the young symbiote, and allowed the ambitious Goa'uld to easily find out all of Egeria's secrets. It was therefore a fairly large surprise when the male in front of him fell down to his knees and started dry heaving. Shortly thereafter, small chunks of meat – no, symbiote, Kherty registered in shock - came out of the man's mouth. Something was definitely not right here.

"Jaffa! Kree!" He was too late, though.

.

Once the pressure on his mind had cleared, Thundering Eagle became aware of his surroundings again. Struggling against the pain in his head, he slowly reached upwards and tapped into his powers once more. Allowing the calming flow of power to wash through him, he finally was able to concentrate and form the energy.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Somewhere in the back of his mind, Thundering Eagle was aware of Lord Kherty's shout. Right now, though, he only knew his wife was struggling next to him, having just fallen down, and his people were in danger from another invasion.

Lightning bust forth from the warrior's hand and struck the Jaffa guard lifting his staff weapon. The man twitched madly for a moment before falling limp to the ground as the Lotar standing next to him got hit.

At the same time, Shining Moon unleashed another bolt of power onto Lord Kherty, striking his neck and killing him instantly.

"Are you all right, wife?"

"I am, husband. What was that?"

Thundering Eagle merely shrugged, being as clueless as his wife was. Possession was not a power they had seen from Egeria yet. "I can't help but think, though, that we were not supposed to be able to fight this off."

"We should probably tell Egeria. She is, after all, here to speak to him." Shining Moon remarked, nodding to the dead Goa'uld as she picked up one of the zat'ni'katels to dispose of her husbands messy kills with three quick consecutive shots. Her own should hopefully be able to pass as a staff weapon hit and Egeria would probably want to see the body.

"My Lady, Lord Kherty is dead." Thundering Eagle was aware he had to treat extra careful dealing with Egeria this time. After seeing his sovereign confused, he went on to explain:

"He was killed in a struggle when he abducted me and my wife to have us possessed and converted to his believes. Apparently, he was interested in the defence you have in your lands in order to take over. Our loyalty was greater than the power of his servants, though, and we managed to dispel them."

"Jaffa! Kree! My healing device! What do you mean possessed?"

"Lord Kherty inserted small snakes into my head. Then, I could hear thoughts that were not my own and my body started moving and talking without my will to betray your secrets. It was frightening, my lady."

"And how did you fight it off?"

"I do not know, my lady. I just … pushed back, I guess." Thundering Eagle answered truthfully, having no idea which lie might benefit him and which might get him killed.

When Shining Moon realized their regent would not be satisfied with her husbands answer she injected herself into the conversation. "We panicked, my lady. The voice was one of pure evil, promising us and our loved ones pain and suffering."

Activating her hand device, Egeria was surprised to find bits and pieces of a destroyed Goa'uld slowly integrating into the couples immune system. From the speed of assimilation, the alien queen suspected the symbiote had actually bolstered their immune system and continued to do so even after it's death.

"These snakes are the true form of your gods, the Goa'uld. My power has protected you from Lord Kherty's attempts to possess you. As a result, you will live a long and healthy life just like the gods. Unfortunately, though, the protection I invoked means that you are no longer qualified to serve as my Lotar. We will have to see whether or not there is another task waiting for you."

While Thundering Eagle was well aware that it was their own strange power that had saved them from the Goa'uld's possession, he was, for the moment, more concerned with the opportunity that just presented itself to him and gladly accepted Egeria's lie. He and his wife had often discussed how to hide the fact that, apparently, they would not age, and had feared to be eventually forced to leave their home. Apparently, that was not to be the case.

"My lady, is it not custom that when one god falls to another, the winner takes the losers lands and armies as spoils?"

"It is. Lord Kherty's lands are extensive, though; too big for me to properly govern them in addition to Shank'anon."

While Thundering Eagle was surprised that the Goa'uld had adopted the city's original name as name of her territory, he was even more pleased with the possibilities available to him.

"Then, my lady, allow me to control Shank'anon in your name. You will be able to enjoy the luxury of Lord Kherty's palace and the more modern city, while I will make sure Shank'anon regularly pays you tribute and supports any of your decisions."

Egeria fell silent for a moment. While she did not wish to install other Goa'uld as her proxies for fear of treachery and uprisings, a human slave did sound acceptable. She was well aware Thundering Eagle would not continue to reign over the city like she had, but maybe his proposition was actually workable.

"We will see. For now, I will need you here to gain control over Lord Kherty's army and his people."

Things worked out even better then expected for Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon. The inhabitants of Lord Kherty's domain quickly accepted Egeria as her new queen. Apparently, their former master was powerful, but not well liked. Upon seeing his dead body burn to ashes, Egeria actually was celebrated as a saviour.

Kherty even owned a cargo ship, a Tel'tak as Egeria called it, that would allow Thundering Eagle and his wife to ferry gods to and from Shank'anon as Egeria needed them. As such, after a short introduction into the piloting of a Goa'uld ship, and after Egeria had removed a, as she called it, hyperdrive crystal from the engine room, the couple was allowed to return home.

From time to time, Egeria would drop by both announced and unannounced to see whether her orders were carried out, but most of the time, as long as her tribute was paid, she allowed her former servant to govern unsupervised.

Under Thundering Eagles rule, Shank'anon quickly flourished once more. Following the example of Roaring Lion so many years before, he opened the city for everybody to make it a place of fair trade and peace. While people were hesitant at first, wondering how long the new peace would last under the ultimate rule of a goddess that had previously been so harsh in her terms to the people. In the end, though, the advantages of trade day and the community were easily worth the risks to most, and Thundering Eagle's reputation, even decades later, reaffirmed many.

.

"So, tell me about this Trade Day you are so fond of. How does it work?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Thundering Eagle was surprised. For almost two hundred years, Egeria had allowed him to mind his own business, content with the amount of goods coming from Shank'anon. Whenever she came by, she would check his health, inspect the goods, and sometimes take a meal with him and Shining Moon. Never before, though, had she expressed an interest in what Thundering Eagle thought to be his people's greatest achievement.

With a small and rare smile, Egeria nodded at him. "You heard me. How does Trade Day work? Obviously, it is successful, and I'm wondering if we can implement it in Egera as well."

Starting a long going tradition of conquerers throughout human history, Egeria, when it became clear that her newest seat simply did not have a name, named it after herself.

"A long time ago, we understood that it was impossible to be good at everything. Each village out there, from as far back as our carvings go, has worked together to compensate this. Trade Day is just the extension of that. While before only the people in their own village pooled their resources, now everybody can work together. It allows people to practise rarer and, most often, more complicated crafts."

"A good idea, in theory, but how do you make it work. I can see so many problems without really trying to find them. How do the people know about it? How do you trade? What profit do you make?"

"There are still several problems we have yet to work out. People talk amongst each other, so everybody who is interested may visit Shank'anon on the second day after the full moon, when travelling through the night is easiest. On the city gates, everybody has to give one tenth of their goods to the city clerks, which is our main source of income.

The share is not large enough for anybody to be forced to famish and thereby make Trade Day not affordable, and at the same time allows us to profit from the many villages around us as well. Then, for the next three days, the people stay in town and have the opportunity to trade items as they wish. Some of the town's young men stand by in case there are any disputes, as I have done before your arrival, but for the most part, it is fairly quiet and peaceful."

"But how can people find a common ground? I would imagine it is difficult at best, if not outright impossible to trade for the goods you want with the goods you have."

Thundering Eagle chuckled. "Actually, my lady, that was the first question I asked my adoptive father when he brought me here and told me about Trade Day so many years ago as well. The answer is simple, though. In most cases, you don't. Instead, you will have to get enough people together until everything works out."

"So you would need a currency," Egeria mumbled to herself, quietly.

"I'm sorry. What would I need."

"I was simply thinking out loud for now. Let me think on this for a while, and we'll see if I can help you with that."

Thundering Eagle actually was stunned. He had never expected Egeria to aid him in his endeavour.

"Thank you, my lady."

Three days later, the longest time she had ever stayed at Shank'anon since Thundering Eagle became regent, Egeria once again approached her former servant.

"I think I may have found a solution to your problem on Trade Day."

"My lady? I admit, you have had me curious ever since our discussion on this."

"What you need is a currency, " Egeria explained as she led Thundering Eagle towards her parked craft and entered it. "a representation of a certain value the people can carry around with them easily. For the past few days, I have tried to come up with something that might work for you, that is accessible enough that you can produce more should you need to, yet not easily come by for the common people."

Nodding to the Jaffa manning the command console, obviously, she had planned this trip in advance, she took her place in the back of her little craft in her throne.

"We are currently on our way to the great sea. There is an animal living under water, that produces a small, hard shell that washes ashore after the animal dies. For the inhabitants of the villages there, it should be easy enough to come by and to trade for. I have previously loaded a variety of goods to enable us to trade for anything."

"My lady. Why would the people wish to use this currency, though. How would you bring it to the people? I am hesitant to force them to do anything that might compromise their will to trade."

"That is going to be quite costly for us, I'm afraid. The trick is to have the people actually acknowledge the value of the seashells. A value, mind you, the shells do not have."

"That sounds like we are cheating the people, " Thundering Eagle injected.

"The shell itself is without value, but it needs to represent one – perfect would be a very basic value. I imagine a loaf of bread would work quite well.

Here is what we are going to do. For the next year, you will not pay tribute to me. My halls are full, anyways, and I do not need more food right now, so I'm hoping this will improve the tribute you will be able to pay in the future. Instead, you will collect everything you have. Starting at the end of the year, everybody bringing you one of these shells may have a loaf of bread handed to them. You will further give out ten shells to each citizen today, and instruct them to trade the shells as if trading a loaf of bread."

"So people will accept shells as trading goods because they know that, should they have leftovers, they can give always get bread instead. That might work."

"Or anything else, should they have enough shells. Just open our storage. It is, however, only a semi-perfect solution. The shells loose their potential if people do not trade for them. You might have to force the trade to prevent, for example, a family from starving because they have the shells, but no baker will give them bread for it."

"So it's the carrot on one side, and the stick on the other."

"Isn't it always?" Egeria laughed.

Thundering Eagle could really get used to this new Egeria. She actually smiled every once in a while and seemed to start caring about her subjects, or at least began to see the value in advisors for her and a functioning society for her realm. For now, though, he did not think it wise to broach the subject.

Surprisingly enough, the shells actually did work out exactly as planned. While hesitant at first, people soon began to appreciate the ability to carry a months worth of products in their pockets, and the demand for new shells grew quickly. By buying things from the population, Thundering Eagle tried to meet that demand. The goods, at least those that were not shipped to Egeria or used to compensate the clerks and guards during pay day, gave the regent to his wife, who distributed it amongst the elderly and the poor. Egeria warned him, however, to keep the number of shells out fairly low, else the people would loose faith in his ability to compensate them.

The shells did add a new responsibility to the town major's, though. Every once in a while, somebody would make his way to the coast to buy the shells cheap there and bring them to Shank'anon. As a result, Shank'anon's security forces now operated all the time once again to locate large amounts of shells being transported. On the other end, through Thundering Eagle influence as a valuable trading partner and through Egeria, their goddess's word, the villages agreed not to trade with any strangers for sea shells.

Life tested Thundering Eagle and Shining Moons patience for a long time. While their proficiency with their strange powers grew steadily, albeit slowly, and they started to understand just what the old traveller had been talking about all those years ago when he talked about science, they were well aware that the humans of Earth lived in oppression from the Goa'uld, even if Egeria became more bearable by the day.

It took another two hundred years before their patience finally was rewarded.

Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon just sat down for a light midday meal, when both of them looked up, startled.

"Husband. What is going on?" Shining Moon looked at her counterpart expectedly, seeing him getting more and more excited by the moment.

"Something happened, something big. And I have the sudden urge to go east across the large sand plains."

"Something is happening there, yes, but I do not know HOW I know."

Her husband nodded at her. "I have only felt this once before. I had a strange urge to leave my path to Shank'anon and travel into the woods. I found an amazing woman there, standing guard over a small girl about to be raped, risking her own body in the process."

"Me."

Thundering Eagle nodded. "Moros did say there would be more people coming. I guess I just never expected it to take this long."

"Remember that he also said we would probably never have the numbers to directly oppose the enemy."

"I remember, love. I remember."

"So what do we do now."

"We eat, of course."

"Husband! You know what I meant," Shining Moon was beginning to get enraged with her partner. While she loved him dearly, the years had taken a certain sense of urgency from him and, at the same time, added a sense of at times strange humour.

"We follow our instincts and let them guide us. Thanks to Egeria and her ship, we should be able to get there quickly. We just need an excuse to leave the city."

"We felt the stress and want to take some time for ourselves, away from all this trouble, beloved husband. I'm sure nobody will fault us after four hundred years of dedicated service."

In the end, until they had packed some food and water, and organized a replacement for their absence, three days had passed since they first felt the disturbance.

The flight in the Tel'tak was relatively short in comparison. Not even half of half a day later, they could feel their newest partner coming closer.

"We should probably land for the day, husband. Approaching him in the ship will only scare him needlessly. We can scout the area for a bit, and just take a walk, and then fly closer in the night, when nobody can see us."

In the end, taking flight once more proved to be unnecessary. Within an hour, and just after climbing a small hill, they looked down into a valley where a lone man sat cowering amongst a field of a dozen dead.

Approaching the man, they could hear him quietly sobbing. Their footsteps on the gravel in the otherwise complete silence alerted the man's to their presence and his head snapped up.

"Do not come closer!"

When neither of the couple slowed in their approach, his shouts quickly became more pressing.

"Don't! Can't you see all these dead? I did this! I'm a monster! It is not safe. I killed them all."

Halting a few paces away from the cowering man, Thundering Eagle showed his hands, hoping to appear less threatening.

"Please, young friend, we are here to help you." While Thundering Eagle was trying to appear as calm as possible, he was reeling inside. Had this young man before him really sat here for days, mourning his deeds?

Thankfully, a womans touch often helped in situations such as these. Not hesitating, Shining Moon passed by her husband and sat down next to the crouching, crying young man.

"Do not worry, honey, we are here to help you, not judge you. You did what was necessary. I have blood on my hands as well. I have killed, and I have seen people killed. For us to find you here, your heart must be pure, and you deeds must have been as noble as they were gruesome."

"But I am possessed. Just look at these wounds. I only wanted to stop them, and now they are dead, all dead."

"Why don't you get some firewood, husband, and maybe find some meet we can cook, while our new friend and I here get to know each other."

Thundering Eagle was well aware he was not wanted right now. His wife, as much as he loved her, was not a very subtle person. At the same time, he knew he did not have the patience, even after hundreds of years, to calm the new immortal down.

As he turned to leave the pair, he saw his wife scooting closer to the so far unnamed man and put an arm around him.

It took at least half an hour until the young man next to her calmed down enough to talk. Despite sending him away, Shining Moon could feel her husband lurking close by, waiting for information and making sure she was okay. Someday, many years ago, she had stopped letting it bother her, and accepted that he was overprotective, taking it as a sign of his love for her.

"Why did you stay?"

When the man finally spoke, Shining Moon was not surprised at all. For the past few minuets, he had visibly calmed himself down and slowly but surely gotten his breathing under control.

"Because you needed a friend right now." For now, short and simple was probably the way to go.

"I don't deserve one."

"I don't believe that." Shining Moon ignored the disbelieving look he was throwing at her

"I am pretty sure you did what you did here because you felt that you had to, in order to protect somebody."

The young man's head snapped around to look at her. "How could you know this."

Shining Moon simply ignored him and continued to look dead ahead. "Who was it?"

"Two of those over there, " he replied quietly, gesturing towards a group of dead, "They were hunters on their way to the west, trying to start a new life. Their prey has moved on, so they had nothing left to hunt and were looking for a new place to stay, carrying all their possessions with them. I had met them a couple of days ago, and we decided to travel together. Makes it easier, you know, the hunting and collecting firewood. And then these guys attacked."

By now, the young man's eyes lay straight ahead again, starring into nothingness.

"And you died trying to give the other two time to flee."

Again, Shining Moon had managed to shock the young survivor.

"Nobody comes back from the dead!" His answer was, perhaps, a bit too forceful. Obviously, whatever happened here had shocked him to the core.

"It's a day that probably will stay with you forever.

I was on my way to start a new life in the town I live in now when I heard a noise and found two men attacking an old man and his granddaughter on the way to the market in town. Similar to here, they carried plenty of goods to sell, but the thugs were more interested in the little girl, Little Gazelle." Pulling down her top a bit, Shining Moon exposed her left shoulder.

"It's amazing how we heal. I have seen man who died from nicking their finger a bit, yet there is no mark on me. This is where the spear entered me. He pulled it out again immediately to go after the grandfather, " she whispered, circling a spot on her unblemished skin.

"By the time I came back from the black, one of them was just getting the upper hand over the grandfather, while the other had started ripping at her clothes. I stabbed that guy with a stone I found on the ground, and blasted the other one across the clearing; it was the first time I tapped, and the first time I ever killed a man. The white light put a hole through his chest big enough for me to put my foot through.

I was lucky, my husband came at that moment and stopped the second man from attacking again. He could not have overcome me, not after what I had become, what we have become, but I'm not sure I could have protected the other two. Otherwise, I would have probably sat there just as you did, not believing what happened, at mourning the dead until I joined them or gotten mad."

Shining Moon was well aware she had the young man's full attention by now. Her husband was the only one still alive who knew what happened that day, the two travellers having long since died of old age. In a way, it was probably as good for her as it was for him to talk about these things.

"What are we, then?" Good, so she had gotten through to him.

"Different." Thundering Eagles voice behind her obviously startled the young man. He literally jumped off his rocks to get a look at the newcomer.

Calmly, Thundering Eagle sat down the dead deer over his shoulder before arranging the fire wood he had collected to a messy pile.

"My husband, Thundering Eagle, and I am Shining Moon. He is one of us as well. Unfortunately, we do not really understand it either. A long time ago, a mysterious traveller told us we could not die, and we have not yet, and we can do a couple of other things. You are the first one like us we ever met, though."

Nodding slightly, the young man continued to observe her husband. "It won't light like that, you know. You have to arrange it in a proper pile, and you need some dry leafs to start it."

Thundering Eagle grinned up at their new friend. "Not if I cheat."

Bending his fingers until they all pointed upwards, he focused for a moment to call up his powers.

The by now familiar white light only flashed for a moment before a dozen shafts of lightning filled Thundering Eagle's hands. Bringing opening his fingers and pointing his palm straight at the pile of wood, the sparks jumped over and instantly lightened a fair flame.

"Want to take a guess as to how I got my name?" Thundering Eagle grinned up at the man gaping at him. "It was the first thing I could do, but over the years my wife and I have learnt a bit more. We had enough time to learn, I guess."

"You can't be that old. I've seen men many cycles older than you are."

Shining Moon chuckled lightly, both at the priorities the young man before her displayed as well as the absurdity of the question. "So we can shoot lightning from our hands and come back from death, but you are shocked we seem younger than we are? Seriously? Sit down, though, dear, my husband will take a while with the stew and we have plenty to talk about, anyways. You know our names, but we know nothing about you."

Flushing with embarrassment, both from his rudeness and from having forgotten he was still standing, the young man sat down on the stone he had spent so much time on already.

"Please, forgive my rudeness. I did not mean to offend you - your story simply seems too amazing.

My name is Graceful Cobra. I have lived as a minor servant to Queen Harthor, as my parents had before me. I have fled the palace a few weeks ago, hoping to find a better life and to use what I learnt in the temple for good. For now, though, could you please tell me what you were talking about earlier. What powers? What is tapping? And who are you?"

Thundering Eagle looked up from where he was sitting by the fire. "Can you tell us first what your special power is? How did the white light manifest for you? I have already learnt to blast things like my wife did, but I am unsure what the limits are here."

Walking over to her husband, Shining Moon slapped him on the back of his head. "You really don't have to relive that yet, honey, just ignore my husband here."

Graceful Cobra observed the byplay with a mixture of amusement and amazement. He had never before seen any couple act like this. For that matter, he had never seen a husband allow his wife to act this way, especially not in public. Shaking his head slightly, he smiled at Shining Moon, hoping to set her at ease. The easy conversation of the last few hours, and the couples constant jokes helped setting him at ease, at least.

"Don't worry. I have experimented enough to find out how exactly this works. I wanted to prove to myself I hadn't dreamed this, I guess. I'm nowhere near as fast as Thundering Eagle was, though."

Crossing his right hand over his chest, his upper arm perpendicular to the lower part, and stretching his fingers out straight, Graceful Cobra took a deep breath.

White light slowly began to form around his right shoulder blade, flickering in and out of existence. Then, slowly but steadily, it crept down along the length of his arm. By the middle of his forearm, the light started to stick, keeping in place while more slowly crawled on and finally extended over his fingertips.

By the time he was done, a flattened cone of about the same length as his forearm stretched out from the former servants hand.

"It changes, as well. Look, I can make it longer or broader as I want to."

As Graceful Cobra demonstrated his ability, and finally brought his arm down fast, cutting through a branch lying on the ground and into the stone underneath, Thundering Eagle adopted a look of utter glee, similar to that of a young child with a new toy.

Shining Moon, however, simply smiled at the young man before her and motioned for him to sit back down again.

"Well, since you have told us about yourself, let me tell you a bit about us, and what we do and plan to do. We really could use your help with that, if you are interested."

For the next few hours, while the stew simmered over the fire, and even after they had eaten, the old couple told the young immortal about their lives, their powers, and, most of all, about the warning the old traveller Moros had given to them so many years ago.

"So our task is to protect humanity until they can do it themselves, from false gods with great powers, that exceed our own. We know little about them, but they know nothing about us. You two have infiltrated the court of one Goa'uld, and have seen their true, week form, but you can not fight her directly. You think, however, that she is one of the better bad gods."

Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon nodded along with each point the young man summarized.

"It's a lot to take in, I know, " Thundering Eagle conceded, "but for now, there is really nothing we can do against them. They are fast, strong and ruthless, and their magic is great. They have ships, flying houses, that can move many times faster than the fastest horse."

"So first of all, we have to find out more about them. I should probably head to the land of the south, where their ruler lives and where they come from."

"We?" Shining Moon felt she had to ask. "You don't have to do this. My husband and I will find a way."

"You would, but we." Graceful Cobra confirmed calmly.

"Thundering Eagle smiled hopefully as he corrected their new friend, "First of all, however, you have to learn as much as we already know. Then we can decide what else to do. You are right, though, in the end, we have to learn more than what we can find out in Shank'anon.


	7. 7 Truths and Secrets

**Chapter 7: Truths and Secrets**

_Oval Office, Washington DC, USA – present day_

In a way, President Glassner reminded Arthur of his daughter when he first told her the story. His face constantly changed between confusion, worry, excitement and, at times, disbelieve. Surprisingly enough, the last one was the one Arthur found most logical, since the President already knew the Goa'uld would eventually be defeated, taking the edge of the story.

"So, what happened then?" Apparently, the President's patience for Arthur's break was very thin at best.

"Well, Graceful Cobra did leave for Egypt a couple of months later, once we felt he was on the right track to understanding his abilities, or at least to understand them as much as we did back then. Every fifty years or so, whenever it was time for him to die anyways, he would come back up north to report his findings.

Besides that, the next couple of thousand years were not very interesting, strategically speaking. Thundering Eagle and Egeria continued to have a decent working relationship, which was and still is quite remarkable for a Goa'uld and a human, and our numbers continued to grow slowly, but steadily as well. Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon actually had a son, Shining Wolf, after his mother and Thundering Eagle's father as well as his ability to tap and his great loyalty to his family. He was the first of so far only seven children born to two parents with abilities.

Since we are now making a little bit of a jump to get on with the story: do you have any questions? I'll try to answer everything that won't come up later on anyways."

President Glassner looked a little bit relieved at the chance to clarify some things.

"Plenty of them, really, although I'm guessing you won't answer most of them."

Arthur merely shot the President a smile at his offended tone and mock-angry stare.

"So let's start at the beginning of my list, " Glassner half asked as gestured to the piece of paper before him.

"Who are you? Really, I mean? After all, no ambassador ..."

Holding up his hand, Arthur stalled his opposites little speech. "Don't worry, I understand what you mean.

Well, I am one of these special people, obviously. Names hold no meaning to us, since we change them all the time to blend in anyways. Arthur is the name I actively used longest and the one others in the know use, but I had others before that. I like to identify myself as a warrior by destiny, a politician by necessity, and a scientist by passion. To forestall your next few questions, let me add that I am quite old and, as I mentioned before, one of the leaders of my people. Let's make it a challenge if you can figure out who I am before 900 A.D, when I take this name."

"So your people are still around then? After all, I have never even heard of people with strange abilities like the ones you described here, and I just kind of assumed all this is more or less a thing of the past. There is a real, organized group of special people out there? That means Charles is one of you as well, right? That's why he had the key."

"If you really watch closely, you find evidence of our doing all the time. Since people do not understand what we are, they always explained it through the supernatural. I guess, in a way, that is ingrained into the human mind. In history, there were gods, angles, daemons, witches, and so many more fantastic, humanoid creatures with great power. In more than one instance, that was us. I'm sorry to say that we are most likely directly responsible for the drastic increase of witch burnings in the late Dark Ages. And yes, Charles is one of us. Since he is the one closest to you, he was given the key should we ever need to brief you for one reason or another. Charles is actually fairly young, being just over two hundred years old and therefore answers to me in the event of emergency."

"So that's how he knew to bring you the key? You alerted him with your powers somehow?"

Arthur nodded at him before the President had even finished his first question. "You already know about the telepathy. We developed it further since then, of course, but we are still somewhat restricted in how far we can go."

"What all can you actually do, then? I have seen you use telepathy, walk through walls and change your face, " here, President Glassner nodded towards the screen still playing the infinite loop, before finally switching it of, "and I have heard you are quite effective in blowing things up and healing quickly. What else is there? And how does this work? Can you really not die?"

Arthur flexed his wrist for a moment, calling up the white light before shaping it first into a small blade, then a shield, and finally dissolving it into lightning.

"Not all of this comes from us. We also have the, as far as we know, most advanced technology on the planet, which is, for example, how I walked through the wall. One of my favorite activities is trying to push the boundaries of abilities, though. While all of us do tap regularly, most have one area of expertise or another. Graceful Cobra for example is a fighter who greatly enjoys getting close and personal to an opponent, often not even using the more destructive, ranged abilities but relying on the blade he first used. We have a couple of healers, who study the human body to be able to channel our natural healing powers into others without damaging them. It all comes down to the same thing, however. We have the ability to channel energy and to manipulate it. We can manifest it outwards in the form of the white light, or channel it through our own body to enhance our strength and speed greatly. So far, we have not found a limit to how much energy we can use, but it takes more and more concentration to keep tapping the longer you tap or the more energy you channel at any given moment.

As for the dying part. We heal quickly, so if you do not kill us immediately, we will be standing again in no time. However, in our experience, there is absolutely nothing out there that can not die somehow. Sometimes, it's just extremely difficult to kill it.

If there is nothing pressing, anymore..."

Although the President's frown indicated he was not really pleased at having his chance to question Arthur terminated this quickly, he nevertheless shook his head, indicating his opposite to continue.

"We left our story just after Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon met Graceful Cobra. As I said before, the couple trained their new friend in what they already knew before he left them for Egypt. Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon had their son almost three thousand years later. By that time, the groups numbers had already increased significantly."

"Let me guess, " the President interrupted Arthur, "your daughter and godson normally needed a reminder when you restarted the story the next night."

"However did you get that idea, " Arthur laughed back. "Anyways, we will continue our story another thousand and a bit years after Shining Wolf was born, somewhere shortly before 3000 B.C. The group by now has eighteen members, and is, so far, unnamed. Some of them live in Shank'anon and the surrounding lands, carefully hiding from Egeria, while the others followed Graceful Cobra to Egypt to learn about the gods and their powers.

Egeria is still a Goa'uld, although she is a lot more moral then the rest of her kind. Of course, compared to today, with another five thousand years spent in that sarcophagus, they all were still very much sane back then."

"Will that change, though? Egeria being a Goa'uld, I mean."

Arthur simply smiled in response to the President's question.

.

Thundering Eagle stood in the courtyard awaiting the arrival of his mistress. Her first prime had arrived yesterday morning to inform the steward of Egeria's visit. Over the millenia, Thundering Eagle had finally figured out the quiet warriors. Their loyalty to their goddess was fanatical and they valued personal honour above all. As long as he observed these two simple truth, the Jaffa treated their goddesses most valued servant with respect and, in some cases, even friendship. Thundering Eagle's ability in a fight both with their staff weapon and without it undoubtedly helped him to gain that respect.

As Egeria's ship touched down on the only cobble stone of Shank'anon, the old warrior once again wondered what his mistress had in store for him. The Jaffa had hinted at some travels when he informed the regent to pack a few weeks worth of clothes and some food. The purpose of the trip, though, eluded him. Ever since the death of Lord Kherty, Egeria had chosen other servants to accompany her on her trips throughout her land and, at times, to the neighbouring lords.

As the doors slid open, the familiar, golden skinned woman stepped out to, her eyes finding him immediately and a small, almost unnoticeable smile fluttering over her lips. While Egeria's body had not changed anymore than Thundering Eagle's or Shining Moons had, the former Wolf was again amazed by the small, subtle changes in his regents behaviour. Over the past few centuries, she had become almost bearable, were she not a hostile invader that had enslaved humanity.

"My lady, welcome once more to Shank'anon, the jewel of your empire. Words simply can not express the joy your loyal subjects feel to welcome you in their homes."

Crooking her head to indicate Thundering Eagle towards his home, where Shining Moon was waiting for them, Egeria replied, "Don't you think that is laying it a bit thick there? You are obviously exaggerating here."

At Thundering Eagle's almost fearful grimace, the Goa'uld continued, smiling more widely than Thundering Eagle had ever seen her before, "the jewel of my empire is obviously Egera. Otherwise, I would be living here now, wouldn't I?"

Thundering Eagle nearly tripped when he stopped suddenly, starring at his queen in shock. A joke! A real, honest joke, albeit a fairly bad one, from the lady who had tortured one of his first friends in Shank'anon to death when he first saw her. In a way, it finally brought home to Thundering Eagle that the woman before him had changed in their time together as much as he himself had.

Seeing her standing in the doorway to his home, holding open the door, he hurriedly caught up with her and entered, holding out a chair for her to sit down before taking his own place next to his wife.

"Thank you. First of all, I'd like to apologize for the suddenness of my arrival and the nature of my request. I'm afraid, however, that I am pressed for time right now. I assume you know about the battle between Kali and Apophis?"

Seeing the couple nod, Egeria explained, "Well, Ra has decided that four hundred years should have been enough time to find a victor, so he degreed the fighting to stop immediately. As both of them serve under his ultimate command, their war brings him no profit. I am to travel to Egypt as a mediator between the two enemies to negotiate a truce both sides feel comfortable with."

Shining Moon looked at the other woman in surprise. "Would it not be Ra's task to preside over any two of his underlings? Why did he task you with this?"

"Normally, you would be right, " Egeria explained. "Apophis and Kali, however, are sworn enemies since before the time the Goa'uld arrived on Earth. Ra is well aware that no truce between the two can last long, and that any negotiation is bound to be long and heated. He simply does not wish to bother with that.

After one too many assassination attempts and uprisings by other Goa'uld, the Supreme System Lord has now further degreed, that no Goa'uld may enter his capital with more than a personal slave to attend to his needs.

Thundering Eagle nodded for a moment, before he remembered the pack of clothes and food standing next to the doorway. "Hold on. You want ME to come with you? I thought I was unfit to serve you ever since that incident." he asked, almost shouting, starring at the young woman sitting at the other side of the table slack jawed.

"You are unfit because you can no longer function as a host should this one ever be wounded beyond my ability to heal. Since this journey will lead me into Ra's territory, though, I will be fairly safe there. Ra is keeping a firm control over all visiting Lords, so anybody attacking me openly would most likely be caught by him. If an assassin was good enough to slip past Ra's Horus Guard or if Ra himself decided to execute me, I would most likely be dead anyways, so there would be no need for a new body. As a result, I will need somebody there I can trust to watch my back, who will not be compromised by any of Ra's spies, and who I know can hold himself in a fight even against the enhanced bodies of a Jaffa or even a host."

"So since my wife and I are resistant to being taken over, and I am the better fighter, you have chosen me. Is there nobody you can trust, though? I would imagine that to be your primary concern."

Egeria started grinning, and even Shining Moon's lips twitched before she leaned over to kiss her husbands cheek. "Sometimes, love, you can be absolutely clueless."

When the husband just looked even more confused, Egeria took pity on him. "From the very beginning, you were honest in your dealings with me and your dislike for my methods. Over the years, I think I even started to understand what you mean and have come to respect your decisions. You have proven that humans do not have to be inferior and I'd like to think you even came to respect me a bit. Of all the people I have at my command, you two are the only ones who I trust to watch my back while I also trust you to support me in the negotiations down there."

As she stood up to leave, Egeria turned back to the couple once more. "By the way, we will have to take your ship since mine is too strongly armed."

.

Thundering Eagle's first thought when he stepped out of the Tel'tak in Egypt was that all the reports and even the memories Graceful Cobra had given them did not prepare him for the sheer amount of sand. Shortly thereafter, two of the immortals stationed near Ra's palace found his mind, wondering what he was doing in the land of the south.

After reassuring them that everything was fine by sharing the memory of Egeria briefing him on the dispute between Apophis and Kali, the ancient warrior finally had the chance to take in his surroundings.

While the city before him was certainly impressive, build completely out of stone and easily twice the size of Shank'anon, it was completely dwarfed by the huge pyramid behind it and Ra's personal ship on top of it. Two a little bit smaller ones were about half way constructed next to it.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Egeria asked as she stepped up to him from behind. As a slave, it was his responsibility to make sure there is no danger to his queen before she exposed herself. Still, even with him there Thundering Eagle could see her hand device, the only weapon they were allowed to bring, peaking out from underneath her long-sleeved robe.

"That actually was the ship that first arrived here on Earth and that brought the Chappa'ai with it. Everything and everybody else than came through the gate. Ra's now planning to build two more ships here to explore the area and to fortify his claim over the other System Lords."

"The gate?" Actually, Thundering Eagle already suspected she was talking about the great ring in Ra's inner palace Graceful Cobra had found a thousand years ago, when he finally managed to penetrate the central complex. He should not know about it yet, though.

"You will see soon. It is a great, round device that allows us to travel to the stars and beyond almost instantaneously and therefore connects us with our domains on other planets."

"Other planets? Beyond the stars?" Now, Thundering Eagle was honestly confused.

"I am sure you have by now figured out just what the Goa'uld are." Egeria stopped to regard her companion critically.

"Actually, my lady, this time, I really have no idea what you are talking about."

Blinking, Egeria visibly took a moment to take in the situation before she stepped back into the ship and gestured for Thundering Eagle to follow her. After making sure the door outside was once again closed, she turned to her companion.

"I told you I trusted you, and I guess now is the time to prove that. The Goa'uld are a race of beings that did not evolve on Earth but on another planet. There, we eventually learnt enough to leave our own home behind and inhabit new planets. You have seen our true, original body, so you know we rely on other beings to carry us around. From the very beginning, our main goal was to find hosts that would allow us the greatest control and that did not inhibit the blending, the possession. The humans of Earth proved to be close to perfect for this purpose, even if they were somewhat weak."

Thundering Eagle could not believe what he was hearing. "So you just took our bodies forcefully, simply because they fit your idea of how you want to live?" he retorted angrily, but was surprised when Egeria hung her head in shame.

"I had destroyed my hosts mind and sanity long before I first came to Shank'anon. Today, it is the only thing that holds me back from leaving her so she can continue her own life. I have long since seen the respect you gave to every human you encountered and aimed to follow your example."

Thundering Eagle was still struggling for words when a column of Jaffa approached the Tel'tak outside and started hammering against the door. "In the name of Lord Ra, open up and identify yourselves."

Giving Egeria a look that was supposed to tell her that their talk was not finished, Thundering Eagle took position between the door and his regent before opening.

"I am servant to the great and beautiful Egeria. Lord Ra is expecting her."

.

"I will not give up the Passage of Rel'nok. It is the only path I have left that connects the northern and southern half of my domain on Earth."

Egeria sighed as she watched the two powerful System Lords argue before her. Although she did not have any planets under her command, her fairly large domain on Earth as well as her status as a queen at least gave her the respect she needed to mediate between the two. Right now, though, she suspected that no peace was possible.

Both parties were standing and shouting, trying to appear as strong as possible to the other. Only the mighty wooden table all three of them were sitting on prevented a fistfight between the two emperors. The Passage of Rel'nok was the only major point of dispute between the two parties left, due to it's strategic value as a four-way passing through a major mountain range in the east where Apophis' and Kali's domains touched.

"The Passage of Rel'nok is also the only connection to Shrez'amed, as you are well aware. Not gaining control over it isolate one of my largest cities, " Apophis screamed over the table.

"I'm sure you meant to say one of my largest cities. After all, your armies conquered and plundered the town not even a decade ago, " Khali retorted.

"The resources became necessary since your armies continuously ransacked my major mines in the Carell Mountains. Besides, it's not my problem if you are unable to defend your own cities properly."

Sighing once more, Egeria reached for the wooden gravel Ra had gifted to her before the negotiations. After almost two weeks of continuous arguing, she was well aware that as long as these two before her would not calm down, no compromise could be reached.

Banging loudly, Egeria stood as well and addressed the now silent Lord and Lady before her.

"I am growing tired and impatient of these contentious, meaningless disputes. You fought a war, which of course cost you significant resources. Since the Passage of Rel'nok and the town of Shrez'amed need to be in the same hands, you will have to trade for either of it. We will now retire for a midday meal, since, quite frankly, I can not stand looking at you any more. Be back here tomorrow morning, and by then, you better be prepared to really negotiate."

Sweeping out of the room with quick, confident strides, she stopped once she was out of the other two's sight. Moments later, Thundering Eagle appeared by her side and she fell into step besides him.

"So, what did you think?" she asked eventually. Over the past few days, her servants observations had surprised her in their precision and their insight, so she had chosen to at least hear his advice regularly. More often than not, it seemed to pay off and speed up the negotiations as well.

"Kali is hiding something. I'm guessing she found something valuable in the Passage of Rel'nok and does not want Apophis to have the time to find it as well. I'm guessing there is something interesting in the earth to mine. At the same time, she is backing off more quickly than usual for everything else. Her troops here on Earth are slowly but surely worn down. If this summit fails, she will loose within the decade."

Egeria turned to her companion in surprise as their steps led the pair out of the palace and into the pale evening sun outside. "I have not found any evidence that Kali is close to loosing."

In truth, Thundering Eagle had not as well, but just tonight a convoy arrived from Kali's lands, carrying with it one of his agents reporting back on the situation in the Far East. "They were there, trust me. She is desperate."

Nodding, Egeria turned turned to the left, intending to circle back to the palace. An hour had already passed in silent companionship and smalltalk and she had to get to her duties on time. Angering Ra by refusing his wishes was not something she could afford.

"What's that?"

Thundering Eagle's question brought the queen out of her thoughts. Just behind the next dune, a great pillar of smoke rose up into the sky. Adjusting her course and hastening her steps, Egeria followed her companion, who was already running for the dune top.

"Maybe we can help. There might be a fire there." Apparently, Shank'anon's regent had the same idea she had.

Before the pair could reach the top, though, a small, female form appeared on top and quickly continued to run down the slope towards them.

"Help! Help! Please, help me."

The girl running towards the pair could not have been more than nine years old. Her long, shining black hair hung in a braid down her back and now swung merrily as she ran downhill. Tears streamed down the young girls face.

"Please, they are killing everyone. Mommy said to run, but they came after me."

For the first time in her life, Egeria truly understood what Thundering Eagle was fighting for. This small, vulnerable creature before her reached something within her, that Egeria herself was unaware existed. At that moment, Egeria wanted nothing more than to take this piece of innocence and lock it away to protect it from the evil and the dangers of this world.

At that moment, two more, much larger shapes passed the top of the dune, running as well. By the large staff they carried and their bird-like head, they were easily identifiable as Horus Guards, Ra's most elite warriors.

Looking back, Egeria could never explain just why she did not hesitate at that moment. Grabbing the girl, she hid her behind her own back and, after glancing over at his companion to see him attentive and gesturing for him to take care of the girl, stepped forward slightly to meet the two warriors.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Egeria's voice distorted voice easily carried the distance between the two groups as her eyes flashed golden. Behind her, Thundering Eagle took a step to the side and crouched down next to the terrified girl, trying to calm her down and to cheer her up. Egeria was once more grateful to have met the man so many years ago and to have taken him into her confidence recently.

Before her, the two Jaffa came to a halt as well, eying her cautiously before bowing slightly. "My lady, " the left Jaffa started hesitantly, "please hand over the human. Lord Ra degreed the whole village to be punished for their transgressions against his rules."

Egeria hesitated for a moment. She was well aware that Ra liked to wipe out any and all traces of resistance against him. Also, she had no chance to stand up to him directly and she was deep in his territory. At the same time, eying the small girl behind her, Egeria realized she would and could not give this little creature up.

"I am sure Lord Ra only meant to punish those who oppose him. This human can hardly work yet, let alone plot against him." Seeing the Jaffa about to object, the queen raised her voice once more. "I am a goddess. Do not question my judgement, Jaffa!"

Just as Egeria allowed herself to hope this situation might actually come to a peaceful and somewhat satisfying solution, a third man stepped up to the group, this one dressed in the flowing, ornamented robes of a minor Goa'uld in Ra's service. Most likely he was the one in charge of overseeing this massacre in Ra's name.

Coming to a few paces away from the two Jaffa, he addressed Egeria. "Mother, might I enquire as to your presence out here? I was not aware there was any business you might have outside the palace."

Apparently, he was one of the countless symbiotes she had birthed for Ra during her time as his mate.

"I was merely out for a walk when I found this child. She seemed to be an acceptable specimen and I have long since looked for an acceptable replacement for my Lotar. By the time she is trained, she should be old enough to serve me well."

"I am sorry, Lady Egeria, but Lord Ra degreed everybody in this village to be put to death. They have not paid their dues for five years running, despite their many warnings."

Egeria jumped a little when Thundering Eagle stepped up to her side and leaned into her ear.

"I do not think there is a peaceful solution here without giving up the girl, my lady."

Shocked, Egeria turned to look at her to find him inspecting her closely. "That is unacceptable. I will not allow her to come to harm."

Thundering Eagle nodded slightly, a small smile on his face. "I had hoped you would say that. Do you think you can take care of the two Jaffa? I will take out the Goa'uld."

"He is armed. You can not even reach him, never mind overcome him, " the Goa'uld queen voiced in concern.

Again, Thundering Eagle smiled at her slightly. "You have trusted me. I think it is time for me to trust you. Don't worry, I will take him out. So, can you take the Jaffa? Then do so."

Nodding, Egeria lifted her left hand, revealing the hand device attatched to it. This deep in hostile territory, she never took it off.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Apparently, the commander had understood instantly what was happening and lifted his own hand device to counter hers. Thundering Eagle was already running, though, getting closer to him by the second, although Egeria could clearly see he would not reach the Goa'uld in time before the hand device would throw him back.

In the end, though, the queen knew she had no choice but to trust her new friend. Turning back to her own foe, she unleashed a wave of her hand device, catching one of the two Jaffa unaware and flipping him through the air like a ragdoll. Cursing, she realized the other one had gotten away in time though and was now rolling into a crouch and took aim.

Time seemed to slow down around Egeria as adrenalin flooded her body for the first time since she pledged her loyalty to the Supreme System Lord Ra over twenty thousand years ago. As a queen, she was too valuable to be risked in the front lines of a fight.

Besides her, a second golden wave told her the commander had unleashed his own hand device against her faithful servant. Almost immediately, though, a bright, white light burst forth from Thundering Eagle's extended palm and formed half a sphere before him. Egeria watched in shock as the Goa'ulds' most powerful hand held weapon dissipated harmlessly against it, her companion tumbling slightly from the impact, but otherwise unharmed.

At the same time, she became aware that the Jaffa before her, her own responsibility, was not aiming at her. Cursing once more, she stepped to the side just as the staff weapon spit plasma. Her own body stretched itself beyond her limits as the shot hit her in the side, flipping her through the air. Burning pain seared through her, both from the wound in her side as well as from the friction of the sand beneath her as she slid towards the shots original target. Trying and failing horribly to smile up at the terrified girl over her, Egeria gathered her strength once more before targeting the second Jaffa who was now approaching her to finish her once and for all. She shot faster. As the warrior was flung backwards and the immediate danger had passed, she was astounded to see her servant, no, her friend, she mentally corrected, standing over the struggling Goa'uld, holding a blade of white light.

Just as Thundering Eagle brought his blade down, Egeria allowed herself to give into the darkness.

.

Thundering Eagle was more than pleased when he saw Egeria step forward to protect the little girl moments before he himself would have. While he felt confident that the two Jaffa would not be a challenge to him, dispatching them would mean two needless deaths and would certainly clue Egeria in on his abilities. While she had recently been a lot more friendly and understanding, he was not sure he could trust her that much yet.

Smiling gently at the little girl before him, Thundering Eagle inwardly cursed that his wife was so far away. She is just so much better at calming down terrified people. "Don't worry. We will not let anything happen to you. Egeria is really smart, and she will figure something out."

Just as Thundering Eagle felt the situation was resolved, a second man, a Goa'uld, from the looks of it, appeared over the dune. Horrified, the immortal watched as the situation went from bad to worse, while at the same time seeing Egeria stubbornly trying to resolve it peacefully, and, more importantly, in the girl's favour.

Running out of options, Thundering Eagle finally decided to take a huge gamble and to trust his companion. Stepping up to her, he lent down to her ear and quietly whispered into it, "I do not think there is a peaceful solution here without giving up the girl, my lady."

When he heard the queens answer, he felt confident he had made the right decision. Eying the two parties opposing them, Thundering Eagle tried to evaluate their threat. He had fought plenty of Jaffa and felt confident he could dispatch them easily. At the same time, though, he suspected Egeria could as well. The Goa'uld, though, should be as strong and fast as his mother, but probably spent the last few thousand years collecting battle experience in the service of Ra.

Coming to a decision, Thundering Eagle directed Egeria to attack the two Jaffa and, after making sure she was going to follow through, ran for the Goa'uld. He was well aware he could not reach him in time, but for the time being, he preferred to hold back as many of his abilities as he could. The shield he had formed out of Graceful Cobra's blade should be enough for the moment, or so Thundering Eagle hoped.

He was ready when the Goa'uld finally unleashed his hand device with a satisfied grin. Clearly, he thought Thundering Eagle to be an idiot at worst and a distraction at best while Egeria attacked the two Jaffa. Relying on his thousands of years of training, Thundering Eagle once more tapped into the vast pool of power he had available to him and allowed his shield to spring into existence before him, causing the golden shock wave to splatter harmlessly against it. It only took moments before he was confident the danger of the hand device had passed and allowed his own shield to dissipate.

The Goa'ulds shock upon seeing his weapon useless allowed Thundering Eagle to cross the remaining distance between them. Immediately, the servant lashed out at the Goa'uld's unprotected stomach. Before his fist could connect, though, a hand blocked him and efficiently diverted his strength into the air. At the same time, Thundering Eagle saw the Goa'uld's second fist flying towards his head with enough speed and strength to seriously injure him. Of course, he quickly brought his own hand up to block the punch and protect himself.

With both arms in use, the Goa'uld finally had the chance he was waiting for. Thundering Eagle was not even aware of his mistake until the world became a strange yellow. It took him valuable moments to realize he was starring at the sand, the Goa'uld's knee still firmly embedded in his gut. A strike on his back caused Thundering Eagle to cry out and finally sent him to the floor.

Gathering his strength once more, Thundering Eagle tried to get back up and reattack, when the Goa'uld hand device activated once more.

Pain cursed through Thundering Eagle for endless long moments. In his head, Thundering Eagle knew that the pain was not real, that there was no wound on his body, but somehow, that only made it worse. Time seemed to loose it's meaning as the Goa'uld began to attack Thundering Eagle's sanity, slowly eating away on it.

Through the haze, the tortured immortal saw Egeria blasted across the sand as stepped between the Jaffa and the little girl, wilfully risking her own life. There would be no help coming from her.

Thundering Eagle retreated into his mind. The pain was too much for him to bear and he could only hope to outlast the enemy, to hold on for however long it might take.

The deeper he retreated into his mind, though, the more at ease he felt. Finally, though, just as he was about to give up, he found his own powers hidden deep in his mind, ready for his command. Immediately, the calming infinity washed over him and protected him. His body was still under the enemies control, but his mind was safe, and for the first time, Thundering Eagle allowed himself to hope.

Once more tapping into his powers, he pushed them out. Without his hands to guide and form them, though, his powers were wild and unfocused, lashing out in all directions.

Finally, after endless moments, he struck the Goa'uld's shin, snapping it violently and causing the man to scream in pain. Thundering Eagle wasted no time. Retaking control of his body, he jumped up and lunged tor the man above him. As the man fell to his knees, screaming, Thundering Eagle saw Egeria sliding to a halt from the blast she had taken earlier. His whole ordeal could not have taken more than two seconds.

A quick jab to the back of his head silenced the man before Thundering Eagle held him up with his hands. While he disliked what he had to do, he knew the man at his mercy was a ruthless killer and could, under no circumstances, continue to live with the knowledge of their abilities and Egeria's involvement. Bringing his hand up, the immortal summoned the blade Graceful Cobra had shown him so many years ago before bringing it down hard, separating the man's head from the rest of his body.

Thundering Eagle was shocked to know that, despite all his training with the Jaffa, he had been unable to overcome the Goa'uld without his powers. Clearly, he still had lots to learn. After catching his breath for a moment, he ran to Egeria and the small girl kneeling next to her. In a way, the warrior was impressed. While they had fought, even while they had been loosing, the girl had chosen to stay with them instead of fleeing, and was even now kneeling by Egeria's side, holding her hand.

Getting closer, Thundering Eagle realized his queen was currently unconscious and bleeding from a fairly large wound in her side where the staff had hit her. After checking that both Jaffa were dead as well, he dropped to Egeria's other side and felt for her pulse, sighing in relief when he found it.

At that moment, Egeria stirred once more and slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings for a moment before finally resting on him.

"What happened?"

"You took a hit for our new friend here and lost conscious for a moment. The wound is quite severe, though, so I don't know if you can pull through." Thundering Eagle was never good at sugar coating things, and actually preferred his own, blunt way.

Egeria closed her eyes for a moment and her face scrunched up in concentration.

"No, I'll be fine, luckily, otherwise I might just have needed that emergency host we talked about."

Thundering Eagle graced her with a small smile, glad to hear she would be OK, before looking up at the dune. "We should probably get out of here, though, before they wonder where their commander is. Can you walk?"

Even as he asked, Thundering Eagle lent forward and stabilized the woman before him with his arm, carefully lifting her first in a sitting position and then to her feet.

Once both were standing, Egeria looked down to the small girl. "There is nobody left in your village, child. Ra would not let anybody live. I'm sorry. If you want to, you can come to live with us. I can not promise you anything, but I will do my best to make sure you are happy."

Shyly, the young girl glanced in the direction her village lay, and Thundering Eagle could understand her pain. Even with the knowledge that all you hold dear is gone, leaving your home is not easy. In the end, though, the girl nodded and grabbed for Egeria's free hand, slowly walking besides the still supported woman.

"What are we going to do about the summit? You will need time to heal." So far, the three had trotted in silence and were slowly approaching the palace once again. Thundering Eagle's question seemed to startled Egeria out of her careful steps though, and caused her to trip for a moment until her companion stabilized her once more.

"I have a healing device in my quarters I can use to take care of this immediately, " she replied, gesturing to her wound. "The real challenge will be getting there undetected, though. If I walk through the main gates like this, Ra will know we were at the place of battle and killed his Jaffa."

In response, Thundering Eagle gently steered the two females to the side, away from the main gate and towards the massive side of Ra's palace. "Leave that to me."

As they approached the main walls, Egeria began to wonder just what her companion was up to. For security reasons, Ra had build only one large gate to his palace, the front gate, so that a small group of Jaffa could easily deal with a large number of primitive attackers like the humans living in the surrounding lands. The wall they were standing before, therefore, was almost ten meters high and made up of massive stone.

Apparently, Egeria had been wrong, for at that moment a relatively large segment of the wall, large enough for a man to easily fit through, slid open to reveal a dark tunnel behind it. A young man in his prime, with a golden tan and light brown hair stood behind it, smiling casually at them before scolding when he saw her.

"Are you sure this is wise, Thundering Eagle?" Apparently, her companion and this man knew each other. Thundering Eagle just nodded, before the man seemed to concentrate for a moment, looking to her as if he was recalling an old memory.

"Interesting. If this works out..." Again, Thundering Eagle simply nodded, and Egeria became more and more confused by the moment.

"My apology, my lady, you do, of course, not know my friend here. This is Graceful Cobra. He is here to escort us inside, since he knows these walls better then anybody else I know and trust."

Egeria's questions kept piling up, but she sensed Thundering Eagle did not want to talk about any of this yet, so she just bestowed their new guide with a smile and politely thanked him for coming for them.

Graceful Cobra, for his part, simply nodded back at her and replied shortly, "I own Thundering Eagle here everything. When he calls, I come, of course."

As he stepped back into the tunnel, taking the clearly overwhelmed small girl's hand and leading her, Egeria wondered what Thundering Eagle could possibly have done to earn a favour from a man living thousands of miles away, even as her own support answered him, "You do not own me anything, my friend. You know that."

Once they were past the main gates, getting back to her quarters was easier than Egeria would have ever imagined. Immediately, she went for the chest with clothes she had brought with her and pulled out the healing device she kept within, mending the wounds in her abdomen before changing out of the stained clothes.

By the time she returned to the hall where she had left her companions, Graceful Cobra had disappeared again, leaving Thundering Eagle to sit with the little girl they had rescued. For some reason, Egeria found it difficult to connect the imposing warrior that could best the most powerful Jaffa and Goa'uld she had ever met with the man who was now sitting next to this small girl, holding her while she cried.

As if reading her thoughts, Thundering Eagle began to talk quietly, telling the little girl, and herself, she expected, about the village he grew up in, about the day he had to leave it, and about his new life and family in Shank'anon.

"Barking Wolf became a father to me, possibly more so than my real father. We went through so much together, it created a bond that was stronger than the bond of blood. Do not misunderstand, I love my parents and not a day goes by when I don't miss them, but I also found a new family. I am simply content in the knowledge that they watch over me and that they are always with me."

Apparently, that was exactly what the girl needed to hear, because her tears slowly ran dry and she began to stretch out, falling asleep.

Egeria regarded the innocence for a moment before she turned to her companion, arching an eyebrow. He seemed to understand.

"Not here, not in Egypt. I will explain everything once we are home, but it is too risky here. For now, we should probably bring the negotiations to a finish."

Wit a start, Egeria remembered the reason she was in Egypt in the first place, all of a sudden feeling glad she had until the morning to relax a bit and come to terms with what happened today.

"If you act fast now, we should be able to leave soon." Apparently, Thundering Eagle had a different idea. "What did you have in mind?"

Sitting down, Thundering Eagle began to explain his plan.

"As I told you before all this, Khali is close to cracking. Without this negotiation, she will not be able to survive much longer. Put pressure on her, and she will crack."

In the end, Egeria mused as she stepped back into her ship, it was almost anticlimactic. As Thundering Eagle had suspected, there were rich mineral deposits in the mountains around the Passage of Rel'nok. As Khali herself currently did not have the means to build new mines, she could not make use of them, anyways. Revealing their existence to Apophis, though, caused him to agree to exchange the Passage of Rel'nok for the Passage of Al'kee further to the east, which connected Khali's northern and southern territories just as well, but only had moderate deposits left. The mines there, however, were already fully constructed.

A quick glance to the back of her ship showed Thundering Eagle sitting with the young girl, Ellenise, just out of sight of the door. Egeria pretended not to care, though, fearing they might still be watched, and immediately went to the steering console, bringing the ship up in the air. Despite reaching a consensus the very next day, it had taken almost a week until the treaty was signed and Ra had allowed it, and Egeria was eager to finally find out what Thundering Eagle was keeping from her.

She was not surprised to find both Shining Moon and Shining Wolf waiting for them in Shank'anon. Their approach had been long enough that they would have had enough time to return from anywhere in the city, and since they had been gone for almost a month, wife and son would be eager to see Thundering Eagle again.

Landing the ship, she stepped out to greet them and allowed Thundering Eagle to do the same, before she motioned for him and turning to Ellenise, crouching next to her to make sure she was all right.

Thundering Eagle entered Lion's Hall and sat down across from her customary seat. Moments later, his wife and son joined them as well, causing Egeria to frown.

"I'm afraid, " Thundering Eagle began somewhat hesitantly, "that we have not been entirely honest with you from the beginning. The attack by Lord Kherty did happen as we told you, but it was not the cause of our lack of ageing. Shortly before you first arrived in Shank'anon, a stranger came to us and warned us of your attack. At the same time, he took my wife and me aside to tell us that we were special, that we had abilities others did not, that we could not die, and, most importantly, that we had to protect humanity against it's foes, including the Goa'uld."

And so Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon, with the occasional input from their son, told Egeria their story, how they tried to protect as many humans as possible, how they found others just like them who travelled to Egypt, and how they hoped to one day defeat the Goa'uld and free their people.

"I have told you in Egypt, " Egeria started when they were finally done, having listened to their story for many hours, "that today I regret taking an unwilling host. What I did, what all other Goa'uld do is wrong, but I can not stand up to them alone. Together, though, we just might have a chance. Not today, not tomorrow, of course, but patience seems to be a virtue you have mastered, so let us work together and hope that an opportunity arises for us to free the humans of Earth and those the Ra has taken to other planets."

For the first time since she had met them, Egeria could see Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon break out in a real smile, not a grin or a chuckle, but a real smile, aimed at her, and for the first time, she could see real hope in their eyes.

"I have already told Graceful Cobra to start calling our friends back home. I felt we have found out all we can there, and I hoped you might join us against Ra and his underlings. If you did not, we would need them here, as well."

Egeria nodded at him before smiling as well. "Against Ra!"

The small family smiled at her in return. "Together."


	8. 8 Revolution

**Chapter 8: Revolution**

Egeria only returned to Egera to install a regent from amongst the humans living there before returning to Shank'anon with Ellenise. Ever since they had left Egypt, the little girl had not left the Goa'uld Queen's side, and it was easy to see the affection either of the two developed for the other.

Over the next years, as more and more of the immortals returned to Shank'anon, Egeria taught her new allies everything she knew about the Goa'uld: their origin, their goals, their strengths and weaknesses, their genetic memory, their enemies, and their hierarchy. Afterwards, the group moved on to explore the basics of science and philosophy together, while at the same time perfecting their close combat and learning to use Goa'uld technology as efficiently as possible, even if, due to the lack of Naquada in their blood, non of the immortals could use the hand device or the healing device.

To Thundering Eagle's immense disappointment, the small bits of symbiote his and his wife's immune system had absorbed so many years ago were not enough to activate the alien's advanced technology or even to enable them to feel other symbiotes. At least, though, the spouses were just as undistinguishable to Egeria, her Jaffa guards and hopefully all other the Goa'uld.

Just over twenty years after Egypt, a message arrived from Ra himself that caused Egeria to assemble the whole group.

"Half an hour ago, Ra has contacted me and all other Goa'uld on Earth. Apparently, there is a revolution going on in Egypt, and we are to return immediately to help him put it down. Furthermore, there are rumours about mighty warriors from the future, who have come back to support the Egyptians in their uprising, which would explain why Ra is unable to put the uprising down by himself. We are to help him defend the Chappa'ai at all costs until his other worlds can send reinforcements through."

Exited murmurs broke out through the crowd of warriors before Thundering Eagle stood up to speak.

"Undoubtedly, this is a chance for us to finally win a major victory, but we are not even close to being ready yet. Even if we were able to defeat and capture or kill all the Goa'uld here on Earth, there are thousands of others out in space, who are far out of our reach. We might even be able to assassinate one at a time, but either they will replenish their numbers, or the survivors will simply grow more and more powerful as we eliminate their opponents for them. As long as we can not wipe out their whole power structure, any one death, even Ra's, does not really help us. In the end, they will just come back here and reclaim what they lost, using their ships to wipe us out from space."

Shining Moon was the next up to speak. "You are right, of course, husband. There are, however, a couple of things you did not think about. Due to it's wealth in humans, the domains on Earth are amongst the most valuable the Goa'uld have. Therefore, the Goa'uld here are amongst the most powerful out there. So far, we have always planned on killing as many of them as possible, but maybe, our new situation requires something a bit different."

Since most of the group still looked confused, she then began to explain. "According to Egeria, Earth is far away from all other Goa'uld controlled worlds, far enough, even, that a journey here would take them unbelievably long. Despite all the abducted humans, Earth is, furthermore, still the most heavily populated planet in the known universe. If we can just protect the humans here on Earth, it would still be a great chance and victory for us.

All Goa'uld have one desire above all others, just as almost everybody and everything else – to survive. If we can manage to make them truly fear us, if they fear for their lives when they think of us, we might be able to frighten them away permanently. If we are good enough, we might even be able to use the System Lords to prevent others from coming to Earth in the future."

Egeria stood up again, nodding. "So we force a treaty on them, and trust on their own fears to enforce it. The Goa'uld have abducted enough humans that they should have an easily sustainable population, and Earth is poor in other natural resources, so this might just work. We will have to move quickly, though. Also, we will have to get rid of the Chappa'ai quickly, before reinforcements can come through there."

Thundering Eagle grimaced from next to her. "I'm afraid, my friend, that this is the point where our ways diverge. We have to stay on Earth to protect the humans here, but if you stay, you will loose your place amongst them. No, you will have to accompany them, and, as quietly as possible, try to engineer their downfall from the inside until we may once again join you."

"Then I will come with you." Non of the others seemed really surprised at Ellenise's declaration, even though Egeria looked ready to protest. The small girl of so many years ago had, in the end, grown into a beautiful young woman, with long, shiny dark hair and bright eyes. She still did not leave Egeria's side for long, though.

"Absolutely not. You will finally have a chance to live in freedom, and to enjoy your life. I will not allow you to leave your home behind to follow me into a world of politics and hostilities."

Ellenise stood and started pacing through the room, her eyes never leaving Egeria's. "Ever since you rescued me in Egypt, you have been like a mother to me. You allowed me to live in freedom. Today, though, I choose to accompany you, so you have somebody you know you can trust to watch your back. My home is with the people I love most, and while I enjoy being with the others her, you, mother, are the one I love most."

Egeria's eyes watered involuntarily as the child, no, the young woman, she realized she saw as a daughter as well, called her mother for the first time. In the end, though, she simply nodded, smiling broadly at Ellenise while trying to hold back her tears.

It took many more hours of discussion before the group felt they had a decent plan to deal with the Goa'uld. After packing up their rations as quickly as possible, and after a somewhat hurried, if tearful goodbye from Egeria, the group entered the two ships they had available to fly south, Egeria with Ellenise and all her loyal Jaffa in the Tel'kesh, the immortals in the Tel'tak.

.

The Tel'tak touched down well away from any encampment and even further away from Ra's temple. After making sure the ship was hidden from sight, if probably not from the more sophisticated scanners on Ra's capital ship, the group began to trot off towards where the resistance was reported to be positioned, carrying as much of their supplies with them as they could.

The resistance camp was a fairly large cluster of tents close to Ra's own temple, which explained why Ra did not simply blast them to pieces from outer space. The death of so many slaves would throw back his economic growth significantly, and the chance that the shot went wide and hit his own home was too great for him to take.

Still, the three powerful ships sitting in dry dock on top of the pyramids were too big a risk to ignore for long and would have to be dealt with for their plan to work, even if their intelligence indicated that two of the ships were still not completely constructed.

The resistance consisted of farmers and workers for the most part, but women and children, probably the family of the rebels, were a common sight all over the camp as well. As the group of immortals walked through the streets, their heavy packs still on their shoulders, Thundering Eagle was surprised that they had managed to last as long as they had. For Ra to request reinforcements from the other Goa'uld must mean that he is afraid enough to give up part of his dignity and the respect his underlings had for him. Still, the movement was fairly new, judging by the many tents and the lack of any more permanent structures set up.

Making their way deeper into the camp, a certain structure quickly became obvious. While most of these people probably fought for the very first time in their lives and therefore knew nothing about battle tactics, they obviously grouped a couple of tents around a single campfire. Each group contained about ten men, which was, Thundering Eagle suspected, the size of a single squad of rebels. For farmers to bridge that tactical gap would be most impressive, and reinforced the rumour of outside help.

In the very centre of the camp, the immortals finally found a large, brown tent with a wide entrance to let a soft breeze in. Even from where he stood, Thundering Eagle could see two men, one of them surprisingly, obviously Jaffa, standing over a table, inspecting something on it. Motioning for his companions to stand back, Thundering Eagle carefully approached the tent. Since he was the oldest of the immortals, as well as a seasoned warrior and the one who recruited every single one of them, the others seemed to look to him for guidance most of the time.

"Are you guys in charge here?" Thundering Eagle allowed his voice to carry over the remaining distance to the two men when it became clear that neither of the two was going to acknowledge his presence. From his new position inside the tent, he finally saw that the object the men were inspecting was a map. Stepping closer, he was surprised to see it fairly accurate - surprisingly so for a civilization that does not have writing or numbers, let alone an accurate system of measurement.

While the Jaffa turned away a bit, hiding his face, the human turned towards Thundering Eagle. "I am Katep, one of the leaders of the rebellion, yes. What can I do for you?"

"I am Thundering Eagle. Me and my friends, " here, he the immortal nodded behind him slightly, "would like to join you. All of us are fair fighters and can more than hold our own."

"Your timing is perfect, Thundering Eagle. We are only a night away from attacking the main temple, and the main gates are harshly guarded. We need every hand we can get, so you and your eight friends are certainly welcome here."

Confused, Thundering Eagle looked behind him, mentally counting through all seventeen members of his group before understanding dawned on him. "I'm afraid you are mistaken. Every one of us who came here has more than proven themselves. We will all fight. What is your plan?"

Katep looked shocked for a moment and then, completely ignoring Thundering Eagle's last question, exclaimed: "The Physicist is the only woman who ever fought for the rebellion, and circumstances were different back then. We are enough people now, and she was different."

"The Physicist? That's a strange name." Thundering Eagle's curiosity took precedence to his arguments.

For the first time, the Jaffa in the background joined the conversation. "One of my companions. She was a woman dedicated to learning who helped us achieve our first victory. Unfortunately, she and her companions, the Linguist and the Soldier, fell in battle since then when we tried to steal the Stargate. I am called the Warrior."

"So why are you using these names? I can not imagine any mother calling her child that. Are you these rumoured travellers from the future then? What can you tell us about it."

The Jaffa raised an eyebrow, contemplating for a moment before finally answering. "Indeed. My companions were most insistent, though, that we do not divulge any information of use to anybody, which is why we use false names. Also, Apophis may not see my face, so I have had to stay behind until now and merely observe the fighting. It is most important that we do not change history as we know it."

Thundering Eagle nodded in understanding before wincing in sympathy. "According to my sources, though, Apophis left Earth a months ago, to take care of his off-world domains. You should be safe, even though you might want to cover up that...thing," he told the time-traveller, gesturing to the mark on his forehead.

The Jaffa merely raised a single eyebrow again, before neutrally stating, "You seem to be surprisingly well informed."

Thundering Eagle nodded once more. "We have been fighting and planning in secrecy for a long time. All of us."

And just like that, the conversation was back to it's original topic. Immediately, Katep jumped, gesturing wildly. "A woman's place is in the village, tending to the children and cooking a man's meal. They are simply not strong enough to take part in any fighting."

"Is that so? I found my wife to be my partner. She compensates both my strength and my weaknesses, making both of us stronger together. She is a superb fighter, easily better then most men I have encountered."

Katep seemed to become more aggravated by the second. "Tomorrow will be a day filled with blood. I will not sent women to be slaughtered doing man's work, when they are needed at home."

Immediately, Thundering Eagle pounced on the chance. "Then we will not have a problem. Tomorrow, while you attempt your plan, we attempt ours. We will function as a distraction for the other, so that both of us have a better chance to succeed. I am merely here to tell you we are here and to coordinate our efforts. When do you plan to begin?"

The Warrior calmly broke into the argument. "We have worked to hard for anybody to disrupt us in the last stage by simple stupidity. What do you plan to do?"

Thundering Eagle nodded, his respect for the quiet Jaffa going up another hitch. "We have to make sure the Goa'uld not only leave, but also do not come back. To that extend, we plan to send them through the Stargate, you called it, after sufficiently frightening them. Our information says Earth is too far away for them to easily stage a second invasion, so we are hoping that, our threats and the absence of any further willing slaves will keep them away. To that extend, though, we will have to take them hostage and force a treaty upon them. The rebellions attack upon the main temple will serve as an excellent distraction for us to slip through the corridors and get into position."

"How do you plan to get in? The only gate will be heavily guarded, even more so now that we are so close." Thundering Eagle could sell he had already sold his plan.

"Well, it works like this, ..."

.

"My friends. I wish I could tell you we will win and that nothing will happen to any of you. The truth is, though, that we simply do not understand neither our own abilities, nor the enemy. Our ally has informed us of all the weaknesses she knew, but from now on, we will have to rely on our own abilities.

So far, everything the old traveller Moros has told me and my wife so many years ago has proven true. We do not, however, know anything more than that. Today, we will rise up from the shadows and strike fear into our enemy's hearts. When all this is over, we will once and for all know the extend of what we can do. Until then, though, stay aware of the situation. The enemy has weapons and powers far beyond even our understanding, so they may kill you. Furthermore, though, a zat'ni'katel blast will stun you. We can not afford to be at the enemies mercy, so watch your partner and do not allow him to be taken prisoner.

Our goal today is to get rid of the Chappa'ai and of the Goa'uld. The Warrior has informed me that we have to keep the ring on Earth at all costs, so half of my team will hold the courtyard while the other half hunts down the Goa'uld. Remember, though, that by the time this is over, the way to Earth will be blocked. If you are taken off world, try to find Egeria if you can contact her without revealing her involvement. If that is impossible, find one of the many human worlds, and start working on the downfall of the Goa'uld.

By tonight, the peoples of Earth will be liberated, free to govern themselves to a bright future. I know this, not because of our powers or the enemy's weakness, but because of the conviction in our hearts and the bonds between us. My friends, if we die today, we die free!"

Thundering Eagle surveyed the seventeen men and women before him. The youngest of them was just shy of two hundred years old, and, at least compared to some of the others, extremely inexperienced. At least all of them had, when they first tapped, gained some battle experience and would hopefully not freeze when they first encountered the enemy.

Graceful Cobra, or Cobra, as they had taken to call him when they had finally gotten fed up with their long names, was making final rounds, offering his own possible last words to his friends before addressing the three who would be accompanying him, giving them his own words of encouragement.

"Eagle." Lost in his own thought, Thundering Eagle had not realized Cobra had approached him and stood before him, waiting. "Are we sure about this?" Cobra voiced their leader's own fears.

"The question is, do we have another choice." Shining Moon had approached them as well, standing close. The tree of them, as the oldest of the immortals, would lead their three strike teams into the abyss.

"We don't." Thundering Eagle spoke up for the first time since his speech. "Which is why we are standing here, discussing that. We will just have to give our best and hope it works out."

Nodding, Graceful Cobra drew his two friends into an embrace before turning around, striding purposefully away from the group. The small crowd of rebels that had gathered to observe the strangers and their even stranger speeches, parted before him as three more immortals joined his march out into the darkness. Graceful Cobra's stride was purposeful and powerful enough to make most people automatically make room for him and his companions.

.

In the dark, the four shapes, covered in dark cloth, marching north, parallel to Ra's temple and away from the large pyramids, were almost invisible. Even if anybody saw them, so far, they had been behaving inconspicuously, keeping the minimum safe distance from all important places. Aside from the zat'ni'katels all of them kept hidden within the folds of their clothes, no weapon indicated the group to be anything but merchants braving the night to get home.

Coming to a halt, Graceful Cobra double checked their position relative to the temple, the pyramid and the rebel camp before nodding to his companions and turning towards the temple's rear wall. For the first time since they left camp almost an hour ago, the group accelerated their steps, not enough to draw attention, but just enough to get to the wall in a fair time, reducing the chance of guards spotting them.

All the while, Cobra glanced up at the wall, trying to spot any shapes moving on the mighty fortress walls. Even with his over average eyesight, though, he could not clearly make out the top or any shapes.

After several minutes out in the open, the group finally got to the wall's foundations. Sitting down in a loose circle, all of them brought out some rations and had a quick meal and drink, before leaning back against the wall and waiting.

"Seems we are clear, " Graceful Cobra finally said, about half an hour later, when no guard had approached them on the ground or shouted down on them from up the wall. Pulling out a small, circular communicator Egeria had gifted them before leaving, he pressed the button once, before repeating twice more a moment later. A single, short click came back almost immediately, confirming the message.

Almost half an hour later, the hidden passage Thundering Eagle and Egeria had used two decades before slid open almost soundlessly, revealing Ellenise, dressed in plain yet well-made clothes, clearly marking her as a Lotar to one of the System Lords.

"You move fast. Good. Ra has ordered his Al'kesh to bomb the rebellion into surrender in the morning. The first reinforcements are due by noon. Come on, I've found a room for you."

Before moving into the passage, Graceful Cobra smashed the communicator against the wall as hard as he could, destroying it completely, and buried the pieces under the sand, thereby removing the last evidence that linked them to Egeria.

With Ellenise as a vanguard, the group did not encounter any Jaffa patrols as they made their way through the tight passageway and into the heart of the enemy complex. The passage ended in a small square room, well hidden behind a painting of Ra's first coming to Egypt from where Ellenise led the immortals two doors down the adjacent hallway to a small, unused storage room.

"Perfect. We can watch the passage in case somebody tries to escape, and still nobody should be looking for us. Thank you." Graceful Cobra was pleased with the hideout they had been given. "Good luck out there. Take care of yourself, little one."

Ellenise wrapped the older man in a short, firm hug. "You too. Don't die on me here, all right."

Moments later, the group of four was once again alone and in silence, to prevent any passing patrols from hearing their murmurs. Ellenise, meanwhile, went back to Egeria's quarters, confirming to her mother with a single nod that stage one was completed as planned.

.

Two hours before dawn, ten more immortals, dressed in light, sandy colours, left the camp heading straight towards the three large pyramids. About thirty minutes away, a group of fifteen Jaffa stood guard on the entrance to the central pyramid, two heavy cannons pointing outwards into the desert, a few paces away from the wall.

The ten immortals, crouching down behind the last dune, just out of sight, regarded the guards critically.

Frowning, Shining Moon turned to her husband. "That's a lot more guards and firepower than we expected. Taking the entrance might be more difficult, than we can manage."

"And yet, we do not seem to have a choice." Shining Wolf added, joining the pair. "If we can not get in there, the whole rebellion is set to fail."

Nodding, Thundering Eagle turned to the rest of their group. "Spread out. These cannons are most efficient against groups and the Jaffa are expecting a small army, if anybody attacks at all. Honey, take your team and circle around to try and hit their sides. You have ten minutes to get in position. Hold your shields ready, you might need them."

Ten minutes later, Thundering Eagle drew one last, deep breath before reading his zat'ni'katel and glancing over the dune. Tensing his legs, he nodded towards his companions before jumping up and charging against the enemy position, firing wildly with his weapon.

The Jaffa seemed startled for a moment when half a dozen people sprung up around them, although still a fair distance away, and began charging towards them. Seconds later, though, their training took hold and all of them brought their weapons to bear. Over the distance and while running, non of the plenty of shots their attackers had fired so far had found their mark.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Warily, Thundering Eagle observed as the Jaffa activated their weapons. "Here it comes, be ready." He just hoped their first attack did not fail in their first clash with their enemies.

Watching the plasma bolts approach, the seasoned warrior sidestepped two of them quickly before firing once more, just as four more, well aimed shots from the side took out the two Jaffa manning the cannons. At the same time, he could see two of his companions relying on the shields they had formed using their powers to block the incoming fire. So far, they seem to hold.

Already, the group had covered half the distance to their enemies. The Horus Guard were the best Ra had for a reason, however, and quickly rotated to cover their flanks and retake the cannons. Their second volley hit true. While Thundering Eagle just manged to bring up a shield and block one of the cannon shots aimed at him, the other shot hit true,exploding the ribcage of one of the immortals. Even before the blood and gore had reached the two man running behind her, the woman was dead.

Sufficiently motivated, Thundering Eagle once more doubled his speed, quickly reaching the first of the enemies just as another one went down from his wife's attacks. Now in close combat, Thundering Eagle dropped his weapon and, with his right hand, pushed the Jaffa's staff aside. The Jaffa's last shot, just before he was forced to drop the weapon, sent Thundering Eagle spinning, having hit him in the shoulder.

From the ground, the immortal watched as the Jaffa pulled out out a knife, probably to finish him off. Kicking for the guard's knees, he was satisfied to hear a painful shout from his would-be executor, which gave Thundering Eagle enough time to climb back to his feet. A short pulse of his abilities cause the flesh in his shoulder to knit back together with a tingle, allowing Thundering Eagle to move freely once again. Cursing inwardly at wasting so much time, Thundering Eagle spun to see his enemy lunge at him with his knife extended.

Spinning out of the way, Thundering Eagle attacked the Jaffa's side, landing a push into his abdomen and sending the Jaffa to the ground. Before Ra's guard could recover, Thundering Eagle tapped to blast the man's head to pieces, killing him instantly.

Around him, the rest of the immortals had closed the distance to the Jaffa and were now fighting them in close combat as well, making the large cannons useless. Shining Moon and her group were approaching slowly from the left, picking of every Jaffa who gave them a clean shot.

In horror, Thundering Eagle could only watch as one of the Jaffa flew through the air, landing just next to where he had dropped his zat'ni'katel moments earlier. Apparently, the warrior had seen it, too, and quickly discarded two shots into his opponent, catching the immortal of guard, causing him to crumble lifelessly, the zat'ni'katel's energy overwhelming the man's nervous system before he had a chance to recover.

Enraged, Thundering Eagle sprang forward, easily swatting the Jaffa's next shots aside with a small shield before pouncing on the still downed man, attacking his vulnerable neck. A quick tap and slice was all it took for the man never to get back up again.

Finally, the fighting died down around Thundering Eagle. All fifteen Jaffa lay dead, as well as two of the supposedly immortals, killed before their own healing power could safe them.

"Damn, that did not go as planned." Shining Wolf murmured as he came to a halt besides his father. "I'm pretty sure we were not supposed to die here."

Shooting his son a warning glance, Thundering Eagle approached the bodies on the ground, ending all Jaffa still alive and checking on both of their dead.

"It's really not funny. This is probably just a small guard compared to what we will face in the temple or in the ship, so we'll have to be careful."

"Speaking of which - mum, have you found the control panel yet?" Shining Wolf hollered over the battlefield.

On the other side, Shining Moon slowly made her way up and down the wall of the pyramid before finally coming to a stop before the left pillar of the entrance way. "Got it."

Nodding, Thundering Eagle embraced his son and wife and nodded to their two companions before taking a step back.

"Good luck up there. We are counting on you."

With that, the ring platform hidden in the sand, used to supply the two shipyards with resources, activated, taking four of the immortals away.

.

Having trained transporting by rings many times in Shank'anon, the four man assault team was instantly ready when they materialized on board of Ra's main ship, crouching low to get under any Jaffa guards hips and thereby level of fire. Instantly, four shields sprang into existence in all four directions.

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear! All Clear! Well, I guess they were not expecting any visitors up here. It's probably best not to stay and wait for a welcoming committee, though."Shining Moons comment earned her a small round of chuckles from the group, even though all of them were to tense to really respond.

Taking up positions around the rooms only door, Shining Moon once more regarded her companions before activating the door's opening mechanism. Apart from a small hiss, the door slid open soundlessly, revealing an empty corridor behind it.

"Well, that's getting almost too easy." As if on command, a group of six Jaffa rounded the corner, heading towards the intruders. Instantly, all four crouched down into the nooks and niches around them, preparing for combat.

In the narrow corridor and with defensible positions, the fight was a lot easier for the four attackers. Within moments, the first of the Jaffa fell to Shining Wolf's zat'ni'katel, while Shining Moon began to advance, holding a steady shield before her. All in all, it took the team only about thirty seconds to subdue the patrol and to disintegrate their bodies.

"So, happy now, mother?" Shining Wolf asked cheekily, causing the rest of the group to grin.

Shining Moon ignored her son's cheek completely, instead turning to the other two to give her orders. "Remember, once you are finished, return here and either hide out or return down until you can join the assault on the palace. We will meet you there." Nodding, the other two immortals left mother and son behind, tracking down the opposite corridor.

Advancing carefully, the pair steadily made their way through the ship. Every once in a while, they would have to duck into some door to evade a Jaffa patrol or even disable one, but over all, their progress was steady and successful.

.

"Hurry up, would you?" Ra'tep grumbled as his partner took his sweet time inspecting the various crystals in the dozen or so opened drawers.

"Well, perfection can't be hurried. You could just help me, you know, instead of criticizing me."

"Oh come on, it's not like you have any clue what you are doing here. You just compare the crystals to your little drawing. Besides, you know very well that I am to stand guard." The pair's easy banter had kept up ever since they had reached their destination, the ship's main engine room, and they finally had a chance to talk once again without fearing for a patrol to overhear them, the noise of the generator easily masking their conversation. Talking mentally simply wasn't the same.

"Ah ha. Found it. Hyperdrive control crystals. So if I change that with that, and remove that one here." Pocketing the last crystal, Sef'ran lightly tapped the drawer, causing it to close automatically before doing the same with all others.

"All set?" Nodding to his partner, he once again drew his zat'ni'katel and peered out into the corridor. "Seems we are all clear."

"Good. Shining Wolf said they are in position as well. Time to get out of here."

Stepping into the corridor, the pair carefully made their way back to the ring platform, knowing that in a few moments hell would break loose.

.

Graceful Cobra's head jerked when Thundering Eagle's mind touched his.

"_OK people. That's it – sleeping time is over. The others are in position, we've got ten minutes."_

While all of them had regularly stretched themselves, ensuring battle-readiness at any moment, they still wasted valuable seconds getting their gear together, checking they had everything important, and peaking out into the hallway.

Then, carefully, the group started to make their way deeper into the centre of the palace, to where the Goa'uld were expected to be, taking out all Jaffa patrols they could find on their way.

.

"OK, according to her, " Shining Moon told her son, referring to Egeria to protect her identity in case they were overheard, "the main control room is right through there."

With practised ease, the pair took position around the door pressing the button to open it.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Apparently, the minor Goa'uld inside manning the controls in his Lord's absence was careful with his guards in light of the rebellion. Immediately, both mother and son rolled to either side of the door and took aim at the four Jaffa stationed around the room.

Blue light burst from their zat'ni'katels and flew through the room, instantly striking both armed Jaffa as the other two, one obviously giving a report and the other one manning the controls, went for their own sidearms. They never reached them, though, as a second volley of shots felled them, as well.

Finally, however, the Goa'uld forced the invaders to abort their attacks when he unleashed a wave of golden energy from his hand device, sending Shining Wolf spinning and his mother diving for cover. Seeing her son go down, Shining Moon finally tapped into her powers and readied a shield before attacking the Goa'uld straight on.

In contrast to her husband twenty years prior, Shining Moon had no intention of fighting fairly against the alien. The moment her first hand connected with the enemy's forearm, she allowed her powers to burst forth, sending out lightning. In his shock, the Goa'uld failed to react when she backed away from him and fell pray to Shining Wolf's shot.

"Might be good to keep him around. We never know just what we might need to be done, and he seems to be in charge here." Nodding, Shining Moon began to tie up the Goa'uld up while her son disintegrated the unconscious or dead Jaffa spread throughout the room.

"So, mom, are you ready to blow something up?" Shining Wolf asked eagerly.

"Somehow, " his mother answered dryly, "I am thinking you are having way too much fun here."

"Oh, please. As if you are not looking forward to the big boom."

Grinning wildly in response, Shining Moon stepped forward to place her hands onto the crystals of the main control console, activating the weapons controls for her son. With a small whining sound, the second console ascended from the floor behind her. Immediately, Shining Wolf stepped up to it.

"What's the word from father?"

"We're good. The rebellion is just leaving the camp. Once they are out, alarms will probably be raised and the ships will be launched. Go ahead."

Nodding, Shining Wolf twisted his hands, activating the ship's main weapons.

"Taking aim at the first capital ship. Firing. Direct hit; multiple secondary explosions detected. Taking aim at the second shipyard. Firing. They managed to raise their shields. Minor damage. Shields are loosing power. They are charging weapons."

"Raising our own shields. Keep firing. We are being hailed, both from the ground and from the other ship."

"Shields are failing. We're almost through. Do you think we should answer? Might be fun to see their faces."

"And reveal our positions, our numbers and our faces. Great idea. Our own shields are holding, by the way. Seems like these new ships are either not quite finished, or were not designed for real combat. Several Al'kesh have just taken off and are beginning to approach us. Fifteen seconds untill contact."

"I'm through." Shining Wolf shouted in glee just as multiple explosions tore through the surface of the second capital ship still sitting on the ground. "Targeting the Al'kesh."

While Shining Wolf was not very skilled with the Goa'uld weapon system and the Al'kesh were a lot smaller, faster and more manoeuvrable than the two ships in dry dock, every hit actually meant one Al'kesh less soaring through the air around them, their weak shields immediately surrendering to the capital ship's superior weaponry.

"That's the last one. Let's get out of here."

"Overloading weapons array. Shutting down the main generator. Disabling navigational computers. Jamming hangar doors. Activating self destruct. That should give them something to do while we are gone. I'm ready."

Reaching for her zat'ni'katel once more, Shining Moon made her way to the rear door leading back to the ring transporter. Just as she was about to reach for the open button, both doors to the pel'tak slid open and two small, round, metallic objects flew through.

"Down!" Shining Moon reacted almost instantly, but was still too late. White light and a large boom filled the room as the device went off, knocking both conscious occupants in the room out.

From both entrances, Jaffa streamed into the room, securing the two crumbled forms. A Goa'uld following them looked in contempt at his colleague, who had allowed himself to be captured before nodding towards the prisoners.

"Take them to Pangar. Ra will want to deal with them personally, and they are obviously well connected here on Earth. And he will suffer for his failure."

"Yes, Lord Am-heh."

Bowing, three of the Jaffa shouldered the unconscious bodies and started their track to the ship's next ring platform a few corridors down.

.

Quen'top, despite being almost a thousand years younger then Thundering Eagle and Shining Moon, still was one of the oldest of the immortals, and therefore had command of the fourth group of warriors. Even then, he was well aware that, should he fail, many lives were lost and yet their overall mission might still be one hundred percent successful. They were, after all, only a distraction for the main event.

"OK people. Today, we are charging an enemy with superior equipment, weapons and possibly training in a very defenceable position. You are all here because you can hold your shields the longest out of all of us, so keep them up. We will be running at the forefront of the army, so any shot we take is a shot that does not kill one of our fellow soldiers. Get out there, people."

Stepping up to where the main army was just now moving out of the encampment, Quen'top saw both Katep and the Warrior standing before the main host. Making his way over, he joined them at the armies very top, ignoring their startled looks when he did so.

"And who would you be?" Apparently, although Katep seemed to be a skillful commander, he had very little patience. A contradiction in most cases, one would think, especially since the man spent years building up the resistance movement.

"Quen'top. Thundering Eagle asked me to keep an eye on the two of you and to make sure you survive here today. So, are you ready to kill some gods?"

For the first time since he met him, Quen'top saw something akin to emotion flash over the Warrior's face. "The Goa'uld are not gods."

Rolling his eyes, Quen'top grinned at him. "Well, duh. We could not kill them otherwise, right? False gods, then. Works just as well for me. Come on, the army is leaving."

Just as the trio reached the head of the army once more, flashes of bright yellow light and loud explosions rocked the sky. Katep seemed most effected by the proceedings. "What is going on here? What kind of magic is that?"

While Quen'top grinned at him, winking, the Warrior was the first to reply. "That is the main weapon of the capital ship Ra brought with him. It is firing, although obviously not on us. I do not know on whom else they would fire."

Still grinning, Quen'top began to explain. "That would be us. We did not want to have them disrupt our little walk, so we made sure to capture or disable some of their toys."

Katep openly gaped at him while the Warrior simply raised a single eyebrow. By now, they had approached the palace's main gate and stood just outside of the Jaffa's weapon range.

"Well, I guess this is it. Any further, and they will open fire."

Nodding, both the warrior and Katep brought the staff weapons they carried to bear, aiming for the Jaffa at the gate. "For Freedom!"

Apparently, this was the rebellions chosen war cry, for it was taken up all along the line of rebels as they started running towards the gate, firing madly. Immediately, the Jaffa opened fire as well, their staff cannons cutting large chunks of the rebellions warriors down at once.

At three points along the line, Quen'top could see the familiar white light of his companions shields shining through, absorbing dozens of plasma blasts at once. Immediately, he called forth his own shield and pushed it out to blanket not only himself but as many of the warriors around him as he could manage.

"Quit gaping you idiots. Keep firing and running. I'm trying to safe your lives here. Run! For Freedom!", Quen'top snapped as more and more of the men around him stopped fighting to stare at him. Immediately, the front rows resumed their path, even as more and more rebels pressed in from the sides, trying to get behind the shield.

While the immortal welcomed the chance for more humans to survive, it also meant that more of the Jaffa's now focused their fire on him, believing his shield to be a portable version of the Goa'uld shield generator and trying to overload it. While their assumption was, of course, wrong, it still caused a larger strain on him as he countered the energy.

Even with the four shields, hundreds of rebels were unprotected and fell pray to the stationary and trained Jaffa's more accurate shooting. At the gate and on top of the wall, a few Jaffa fell every now and then, only to be replaced by more Jaffa pouring out from the inner palace.

Half way to the gate, about fifty meters in, the first immortal finally faltered under the strain of the constant energy against his shield. Without warning, the white light dimmed for a moment, allowing dozens of shots to break through the shield before it broke completely. By now, most of the men behind it had understood what was happening and began to scatter almost immediately, keeping the death toll when the main cannons broke through the shield relatively small. Once the rebels were unprotected, though, they were easy targets for the Jaffa once more, dying by the hundreds.

Fifteen meters from the gate, Quen'top's was the last shield the rebels had available.

"Heads Up! The shield is failing! Scatter!" Apparently, even though his shout was weak from the strain, the men next to him, including both the Warrior and Katep, heard him and instantly relayed his call to the other men.

Ten meters from the gate, the strain was too much for Quen'top. Allowing his shield to drop, he was about to reach for the zat'ni'katel he carried on his belt when one of the staff canons exploded right under his feet. As he was flying through the air, protecting his head from the coming impact with his arms and trusting his abilities to take care of most other wounds, the immortal could see a hundred meters of constant death lying behind them. Hundreds, if not thousands of humans lay motionlessly on the floor, some of them with limbs ripped of or even disintegrated. The slaughter that took place here made Quen'top wonder if this fight really was worth it. It would all depend on whether or not the other two teams would be successful.

Just before he hit the ground once more, a second bolt of plasma smashed into his back, sending him flying once more. Quen'top never felt the impact on the ground though, for he was dead instantly.


	9. 9 Freedom

**Chapter 9: Freedom**

Sighing, Thundering Eagle surveyed the group before him. While Ra'tep and Sef'ran had already returned from the ship, their mission completed successfully, communications with Shining Moon and her son had been lost, causing the eldest immortal to pray for his loved ones lives. More important for their struggle, however, was that, with two more confirmed dead, it left only six instead of the planned ten warriors to form their main strike force into the palace. Thundering Eagle just hoped the others had more success and would eventually able to reenforce them, otherwise their attack might even fail.

Seeing the ring transport beam between the palace and the ship pulsing once more, this time leaving the ship for the palace, he finally decided it was probably time to begin their campaign. "That's it. Take positions!"

Within moments, four of the warriors had spaced out over where they knew the ring platform was located, crouching low, while Ra'tep as the group's second oldest, stood upright behind them. From his position outside the circle, Thundering Eagle once more inspected his troops, their faces scrunched up in concentration as every immortal prepared for the coming confrontation.

Pressing the final button for the transport, Thundering Eagle took three large steps into the circle next to Ra'tep, snapping of a quick "Attention!", and readied his arms, stretching them slightly outwards.

Moments later, the four metallic rings shot up from the ground, carrying the group into the unknown.

.

Jab. Block. Swing. Block. Jab. Fire. Fire. Block. Swing.

A certain repetitiveness established itself as Teal'c, now better known as simply 'the Warrior' fought his brother Jaffa guarding the main gate. When their shield failed, he was ready and in position, immediately jumping forward to engage finally engage the guards waiting at the gate, a strange mix of Jaffa from all System Lords, but with Horus Guards dominating the group.

While freeing Earth would be little help to his people in the short term, the planet was too much of a power base for the Goa'uld. Even without the Tau'ri, the task he had set for himself, to free his people from the false gods, seemed dauntingly impossible.

Jab. Swing. Fire. Block. Swing. Jab. Fire.

While the amount of Jaffa guarding the gate was small compared to the amount of rebels attacking it, even after the huge losses they had while storming the flat lands in front of the palace, the narrow gate negated all advantages. Instead, the relatively few Jaffa with their superior training and strength easily held the gate against all attacks so far while more Jaffa took position behind them, coming from the palace.

Swing. Strike. Fire. Block. Tackle. Jab.

The losses on the rebels side increased steadily. Katep, the organizer and human leader of the rebellion, a no doubt brilliant man, fell almost immediately. His strength was in the background, not in the front lines. Out of the four strange warriors that had saved so many lives during the dash on the gate, only one seemed to be alive, fighting close to Teal'c in the first line, slicing through the Jaffa with even more ease than the former first prime using a zat'ni'katel, a staff, or sometimes a weapon of white light Teal'c had never seen before.

Just then, a new squad of Jaffa reached the gate, refilling the guards' numbers and easily pushing the rebels back step by step. If the situation did not change soon, the rebellion would be defeated.

.

Thundering Eagle and his team manifest on a second ring platform in an about two hundred meter long, sixty meter wide court yard in the centre of Ra's palace, all of them with a zat'ni'katel in one hand and the second hand extended to tap. Two stories of buildings, all of them build in the familiar yellow stone of the desert and decorated with beautiful and extensive carvings and golden inlays surrounded the whole courtyard, with pillars carrying a walkway along all rooms on either level.

According to the information Egeria had provided them with, they should have appeared right in front of the main throne room, where the Goa'uld would seek refuge and form a council, with the Chappa'ai on the far side of the yard. A two story walkway with regularly spaced windows circumvented the whole yard.

Moments later, before anybody had a chance to really take in their surroundings, a loud whoosh rushed through the courtyard, taking the team by surprise. Instantly, all eyes turned to look to the far side of the square, where a huge, silver circle was filled with a blue substance, looking from afar like water standing up.

"NO! Wife! Son!" Thundering Eagle was the first to react, sprinting towards the four Jaffa only a couple of steps from the active gateway, who were carrying his only blood family. Alerted by his shouting, the group of departures turned to look back at him, before hurrying towards the gate, while the other immortals observed their leader.

"Cover him!" Ra'tep shouted, reacting almost immediately. Only steps behind Thundering Eagle, he called forth shields on either side of the pair, just as dozens of Jaffa hidden in the surrounding buildings, who were alerted by Thundering Eagle's shouting, opened fire.

The other immortals reacted with varying speeds, but soon streaks of blue and white light from the small cluster of people answered the yellow bolts of plasma of the attackers, causing flashes and explosions all around the courtyard.

Despite his training and near perfect physical condition, Thundering Eagle barely managed to get a quarter of the way through the yard before the two warriors carrying his family had disappeared through the blue puddle, their two companions loosening another few shots at him before giving it up as futile and disappearing as well.

With a seemingly self-satisfied whoosh, the Chappa'ai deactivated again, leaving behind a devastated man.

Thundering Eagle stopped dead in his tracks as he saw his family disappear, well aware that, without the address, their chance of ever finding them again in the vastness that was the galaxy were slim. Ra'tep, who was still sprinting right behind him, using his powers to protect both himself and his older friend, was not prepared for the sudden stop, barrelling into his ally and sending them both to the ground.

"Noooo!" Thundering Eagle's scream hurt Ra'tep not only due to the loudness of the voice right next to his ear, but even more so due to the raw despair he could hear within.

"We will find them. I promise you, we will find them. But first, we have to finish this." Desperately, Ra'tep tried to get the man on the ground next to him to move again, while he himself rolled back to his feet, crouching low.

"As soon as Earth is free of the Goa'uld, we can hunt them down and rescue them. I promise you, we will find them. Besides, these Goa'uld in there have to have some idea where they are."

"What am I going to do now? Without her? She is strong, you know, my strength." Thundering Eagle's rambling was quiet, almost inaudible over the shouts and explosions of the fight that surrounded them.

"And I am sure she would not have wanted us to fail here. All of us, her included, were aware of the risks of this mission, but we all chose to take them, for humanity and their future. We need you out there, though, Eagle. We have to end this before more of us die."

Startled, Thundering Eagle looked to where he had impulsively left his companions moments before, and saw that two more of them were indeed on the ground, unmoving, while the strain on the other two behind their shields was easily visible, as they struggled to return fire.

"Cover me." Thundering Eagle shot to his feet and towered over Ra'tep with a suddenness that both surprised and encouraged the other immortal. Slowly, relatively at least, their leader turned his back to the remaining immortals and extended his arms to either side, while his companions desperately tried to deflect or absorb the shots fired at them.

White sparks travelled along the immortals arms as he tried to centre himself to access his powers once more, the endless white ocean that came over him actually calming him, before, with a primal scream, he forced his emotion into his powers, unleashing as much energy as he could, while slowly spinning his body.

A constant stream of white light streaked across the courtyard and impacted on the beautiful carvings and the high pillars of the surrounding buildings. Wherever it hit, the stone exploded violently, destroying surrounding structures and sending the defenders hiding behind the mighty walls flying like small dolls.

By the time Thundering Eagle had finished the full cycle, sparing only the Chappa'ai, the Goa'uld's main meeting chamber behind him, and the four immortals before it, four dozen dead Jaffa lay splattered around the courtyard, that was now a good twenty paces wider and longer. Thundering Eagle himself immediately sunk down to his knees, while the other three conscious immortals starred at him open mouthed. An almost peaceful quietness belied the bloodbath that had just taken place and the war that was waged at the main gate not that far away.

"How far is Graceful Cobra?" Startled out of his shock by Thundering Eagle's quiet voice, easily piercing the now completely silent courtyard, Ra'tep extended his senses to find the leader of the second team. "In position."

Nodding, Thundering Eagle pushed himself to his feet, wavering for a just a moment, before closing his eyes. "Seems like the rebellion is still going strong, so let's do this. I suspect we might be able to get their attention now."

Together, the pair speedily walked up to their companions, who were just now closing the eyes of both their fallen comrades.

"Ra'tep. Would you mind knocking on the door for us?" Grinning halfheartedly, the immortal stepped forward and raised on hand, before allowing a burst of power to spring against it. Immediately, a spiderweb of cracks appeared all over the heavy stone covering the doorway, before a second blast sent it to pieces.

.

For a moment, Teal'c allowed himself a glimmer of hope when a huge explosion rocked the inner sanctuary of the palace. Even though he knew they would not be able to kill any of the high profile Goa'uld, both due to his future knowledge, as well as due to the plan Thundering Eagle had proposed to them the evening before, he hoped this explosions would maybe kill at least some of the false gods. At the moment, though, things continued to look grim for the rebellion.

With the death of many of the less skilled soldiers in the front lines, more and more of the rebellions more veteran soldiers were slowly pushing in from the background, finally allowing the humans to take advantage of their superior numbers and push the Jaffa into the palace. The price was still high, though, as the rivers of blood running along the hard stone floor of the entrance hall could attest to.

The moment the main gate had fallen, the Jaffa had abandoned their positions on and around the main gate and retreated into the palace proper, where small corridors and many nooks gave them cover and further slowed the rebels down. Frequently, small parties would raid their flanks and rear through uncountable secret tunnels and passages, while heavy emplacements were no doubt set up further into the building.

Thankfully, the group of soldiers with Teal'c was relatively small and, as such, had so far not attracted any major traps or assaults, allowing them to push forward relatively quickly. Every now and then, they would get a chance to trade a few shots with a patrol of Jaffa, but so far, they had been unable to cause any major damage to the enemy either.

Holding up his left hand, Teal'c stopped the other warriors from stepping into the large room before them, before crouching down and carefully peering in.

"Jaffa! Kree!" Immediately, dozens of staffs impacted around their position, causing Teal'c to jerk his head back.

"Well, I guess this is the end for us for now. Unless we get reinforcements, we are not going to be able to take these guys." One of the veterans in the group summed up the situation, causing the others to nod disappointedly.

Minutes later, though, hurried shuffles broke out throughout the Jaffa ranks, causing Teal'c to pull a small mirror from his pocket.

Once more peering around the corner, he saw a newcomer heatedly argue with the leader of the two dozen or so Jaffa manning and guarding the two heavy staff canons, gesturing to the inner palace.

In the end, although clearly unhappy about it, the leader ordered two thirds of his man to follow the messenger, leaving the group understaffed and shuffling to once more cover the whole room.

"Get ready." It was both a credit to the men's attention and to the state of their nerves that, despite the low volume of Teal'c's voice, all eleven men were ready immediately. With a nod, Teal'c pulled one of the last grenades, as O'Neil had called them, from his pocket, before removing the pin.

"Fire in the hole." Teal'c's aim proved true, of course, hitting one of the two heavy staff cannons. While the weapon itself was too heavily armoured to be damaged, the Jaffa standing around it were not so lucky. The distraction of seeing their comrades learning to fly from a small green ball, or maybe just the shock that the primitives had weapons that powerful, was distraction enough for the dozen rebels.

Plasma bolts rained down on the unsuspecting attackers as Teal'c quickly led his men around the corner, fast approaching the second canon. By the time he reached it, though, intending to capture the dangerous strong point in close combat, the Jaffa had already been overwhelmed.

"Well, let's see if we can't clear the space for the main army a bit, eh?"

"Indeed." Teal'c's reply was static as always, even as he set out to flank the remaining guards, now carrying his own heavy canon lazily over his shoulder.

.

On the other side of the throne room, maybe forty paces away, Graceful Cobra impatiently waited for his friends to fulfil their mission. The corridor they stood in now was easy enough to defend, being only a blank stretch of walls, but its location in the very centre of the complex meant a high likelihood of being found and their plan being exposed early.

At least, he mused, he still had all of his men. From his last check-in with Thundering Eagle, fifteen minutes ago, with orders for him to get into the final striking position, he knew the other team had encountered their first losses in the first stage of the campaign, which was especially bad for supposedly immortals.

Just as Graceful Cobra was about to extend his senses once again, not really caring about not startling Thundering Eagle in a critical phase, and being especially curious about the loud noise several moments ago, he felt Ra'tep's mind touch his own.

While exchanging feelings and memories with the ease Thundering Eagle, Shining Moon and Graceful Cobra did required a great deal of trust and familiarity between both parties, a simple, verbal like communication, especially one as short as _"go"_ was easy enough for every one of the elders.

Eager for action, the immortal barely spared a glance at his companions before he jumped forward and went straight for the back door to the throne room the Goa'uld had taken refugee in, knowing his companions would follow soon enough. While under normal circumstance, it was easily defendable with only two entrances, and in close proximity to the supply platform for the ships and the Chappa'ai to flee through, the room would today, hopefully, become the perfect trap for it's masters.

Really looking forward to this, Graceful Cobra could not have been bothered with the blasts Ra'tep used on the other side of the room. Instead, he sent his right fist flying straight for the massive stone shielding the doorway. At the last moment before he broke all bones in the hand, a lance of white light shot out, piercing through the door. With the main structure heavily damaged, Graceful Cobra's left hand, covered in a small white shield, then easily smashed the last remains of the stone into enough pieces to allow the assault team to enter, its leader never loosing his momentum.

The Jaffa inside the throne room were both the strongest and most loyal guards Ra had at his command. With the commotion earlier and the moments it took Cobra to get through the door, they have had plenty of time to get ready, their staffs pointing at the door.

After four and a half thousand years of experience, training and wisdom, Graceful Cobra could not have been bothered by the guard's first shots. The two warriors covering his side of the room reacted instantly, but the immortal had kept his shield in front of him, swatting the two bolts of charged plasma aside with a careless flick of his wrist, not missing a step in the process. Proving they were better then most, both guards widened their stance and moved their staffs upwards, preparing for close combat.

Moments later, Graceful Cobra had crossed the few steps between the door and the guards. With a quick thought, he once again called forth his light blade, jabbing towards the first Jaffa's gut.

The two warriors extensive training proved true, though. While the one the intruder targeted twisted out of the way of the strange weapon and aimed a blow at the attackers wrist to make him drop it, the other swept low to destabilize their opponent with a well-placed swing, forcing him to jump back a step.

Growling, Graceful Cobra jumped forward once more, this time aiming for the Jaffa's neck. He really should have done so in the first place, since they would need every moment when dealing with the System Lords, and could not be bothered by making sure their bodyguards were really dead.

Predictably, the Jaffa he chose raised his staff to block the attack and to enable another easy attack by his partner. It was a credit to the sturdiness of naquadah and the engineering skills of whichever race the Goa'uld had stolen their favourite weapon from that Graceful Cobra's blade did not immediately slice through it like it had done with normal stone millenia earlier, but instead lost its momentum and stopped in the centre of the staff. The immortal did not fight with a solid blade that relied on momentum and sharpness for its efficiency, however. Instead, pure energy, in it's most basic form as light, formed the perfect weapon for close combat. Within half a second, it had finally melted through the staff blocking it's path and once again progressed to it's fatal destination.

Used to training with breakable wooden staffs during his early childhood, and thanks to the momentum the blade lost when it hit his staff, the Jaffa just managed to roll over his back and onto his knees before the attacker would have chopped his head off. Knowing fully well that his god was relying on him to keep this bothersome venom away, the loyal servant immediately assumed a guard stance once more, this time holding the two halves of his former staff before him like daggers as he had done on numerous occasions during his teenage years, ready to come to his partners aid. Within Ra's forces, he was one of the best wielding two weapons at once, which was one of the reasons he had been chosen as Ra's bodyguard.

Unfortunately for the talented warrior, the wooden weapons had one major difference to the staff he wielded today. With the energy conducts within the staff destroyed, the energy capacitor buffering the charge before each shot was disconnected from both the liquid naquadah cell and the weapon outlet of the staff. Unable to regulate the flow of energy, the capacitor chose the last outlet of energy it had left.

The proud Jaffa warrior had nanoseconds to register the sudden heat coming from his weapon and react to it when the capacitor finally overpowered. Unfortunately for him, despite his superhuman strength and stamina, his reflexes were still human. Even without the distractions of the battle around him, he had absolutely no chance to react before a violent explosion lashed out from the weapon, disintegrating his hand and lower arm. Moments later, the bright light caused by the explosion burned into his retina's. Finally, in a wave of heat and high pressure, the shrapnel made of the remains of his weapon pierced through his exposed neck and face, deep into his brain and central nervous system. Mercifully, his death was so quick his brain had no time to register the pain.

The second Jaffa, upon seeing the power of the weapon his enemy wielded, began to enlarge the distance between them to buy himself time to dodge, while at the same time trying to come up with an alternative means to win this battle for his god. Unknowingly, his action prolonged his live, even if only for a few seconds, and saved the life of his adversary. With each step he took back, he distanced both himself and his following opponent further from the source of the blast and gave the following shock wave time and space to dissipate.

When the weapon finally blew, nobody in the room was prepared. While the second Jaffa was picked up violently and smashed non-to-gently into a nearby wall, Graceful Cobra reacted on instinct upon seeing the bright light, assuming it was a shock grenade, and threw up the strongest shield he could muster in time. Unfortunately for him, the shield itself was still tied to him just like a physical shield would be, and the blast pushed him back across the floor, his feet burning painfully over the ground. Unfortunately for his second opponent, their close proximity before the blast meant they landed on the same wall. By the time the Jaffa regained his senses, and manage to get to his feet, possible only due to his own enhanced body, Graceful Cobra was, thanks to his shield, ready to pounce one again. Forgoing the blade due to his tiredness from the amount of tapping he had just done, the immortal lightly pushed off the ground and up to compensate the larger half-aliens advantage in height. The Jaffa barely had time to register the additional weight on his back before he got a good look at his attacker when his head was twisted violently. Moments later, his body crumbled to the floor, lifelessly, his neck broken.

.

Before the dust had completely settled, Thundering Eagle calmly strolled through the door, holding a shield with each hand. The room he entered was large, easily fifty paces in each direction, with skillfully ornamented ceilings and walls, telling stories of the Goa'ulds history ever since they took the stars. Apparently, however, their beginnings in a small pond on some backwater planet, that Egeria had told the immortals about, was not something they were proud of or wanted to remember and illustrate.

The immortal stood calmly as he took in the various paintings and carvings, completely ignoring the six Jaffa that had opened fire at him. Their staffs were not going to penetrate his shield anyways. For that, they'd need a lot more firepower. His purpose, right now, though, was simply to intimidate the Goa'uld in the centre of the room, sitting on a large, circular table under Ra's mighty throne, watching with interest. Both his and Graceful Cobra's actions were carefully planned and coordinated for maximum effect. Judging by the looks on the faces of Ra and the other four women, including Egeria, and seven men, it was working.

"That is enough!" Unsurprisingly, Ra was the first alien to find his voice, before lifting his hand device and unleashing a wave of golden terror on Graceful Cobra, who had just started to make his way to where the other six Jaffa left in the room had gathered. Once again, a quick tap brought forth the shimmering white shield, that dissipated the weapon harmlessly with not so much as a ripple.

Seeing his partner's nod, Thundering Eagle once more made his way forwards, intending on approaching the System Lord's table to deliver their demands. Apparently, this brought the Goa'uld's attention back to him, and their survival to the forefront of their minds. Immediately, about another dozen waves of golden particles splashed against his shields, together with plasma bolts from the remaining Jaffa in the room. This time, Thundering Eagle's shield did give a small ripple, similar to a pebble in a large lake, and the sheer force of impact pushed him a single step back, making him grimace in annoyance.

"As you said, this is enough!" Immediately, the remaining six immortals, three from the back and three from the courtyard, stormed the room, taking position around the Goa'uld, while Thundering Eagle unleashed a torrent of lightning that easily sent the six Jaffa guards to the ground, groaning in pain. Thankfully, non of Egeria's Jaffa, men he had started to see almost as friends, were in the room. Ra probably wanted to have his own close by.

"Remove your weapons, and we will talk. Fail to do so, and we will do it for you. As you know, one shot of a zat'ni'katel stuns only, but with this many people shooting, who knows if we manage to keep track of who we shot already."

Three of the aliens, one in a female host, and two in males, looked like they were about to lower their weapons, when a quick, beyond angry glare from Ra stopped them. Seeing this, and no one surrendering, Thundering Eagle gave a nod to where Graceful Cobra stood behind the Supreme System Lord. With a distance of less then two paces, and with the zat'ni'katel already uncoiled, the alien had no chance to evade the shot that took his conscience. Stepping forward slightly, Graceful Cobra removed Ra's hand device from his left wrist and quickly patted him down for further, concealed weapons. Apparently, the alien trusted in his guards protection, since he additionally only wore a small knife made of a sturdy, dark silver metal, with rich golden inlays in the handle and blade.

"Dealing with him would be the most convenient for us, so we had to make sure he stayed alive. Last chance for you. Hand over your weapons." Although it took a lot of grumbling, most of the other Goa'uld started removing their hand devices. Egeria was, as planned, not the first to do it, but not the last either. Those who still refused were easily overpowered and thoroughly searched.

"Thank you. That was not too hard now, wasn't it. Once Ra awakens, we can begin."

As it turned out, thanks to the symbiote's healing powers, the stun blast only subdued the Ruler of the Goa'uld for a few minutes before he came back to conscience, raging at both the attackers and his own underlings.

"You will release me right now. Then, I will take great pleasure in torturing you until your small, pitiful mind crumbles under the power of your god, " Ra raved.

"You know, " Thundering Eagle replied, his arms crossed over his chest and lazily leaning against one of the dozen or so pillars spread out through the room, "normally, when you make a demand, you either have to have the better odds, or you have to offer something up in exchange. You should probably keep that in mind for the next few hours, if you want to get out of here alive. Right now, however, since you are a god, should you not be able to free yourself even without your little bracelet here?"

To the immortals' never ending amusement, the possibly most powerful being in the galaxy simply sat back in his chair, alternating between pouting like a small child and glaring hatefully at his captors.

"Good. Now that this is out of the way, we should be able to get down to business. I'm pretty sure you have already figured out why we are here. We do not like your kind, little snakes, and we want you gone from this planet. It is ours now."

.

"My lord. Communications with the temple has been lost. The Supreme System Lord does not answer our calls."

Am-heh enjoyed the benefits he had reaped ever since he took command of the Cheops class capital ship over the Tau'ri for his Lord Ra. Sitting in the pure golden, heavily ornamented throne Ra had placed on the pel'tak, he regarded his First Prime coolly as he delivered his report.

"There are a number of possible explanations for that. How many Jaffa are left on board? And have you finally found out how these primitives managed to infiltrate my ship? I will need a good explanation for Lord Ra."

"Just a few handful, my lord, manning the most vital systems. As per your command, most of your men have been transported down to the surface to reinforce the palace and defeat the rebellion. As for the intruders, they seem to have overpowered the guards on the shipyard ring transporter and boarded on deck two. We found a couple of dead patrols on the way from there to here, and a few more are still missing. Possibly, they were vanished using the zat'ni'katels the intruders carried."

"Very well. Set a course for orbit, then jump to hyperspace the moment we are clear of the planet. Set course for Abydos. From there, we will contact Lord Ra on his home world for further orders. We can not afford to remain in range of the ring transporter if it has been compromised."

"My lord?" The Jaffa visibly steeled himself for the, as he suspected, almost inevitable pain that would follow his question, "should we not crush these rebels for their crimes against the Supreme System Lord? We can easily wipe out the camp from here, and use this Chappa'ai."

"Lord Ra does not wish us to fire upon his own slaves. The loss of so many of them would be a heavy blow for his production capabilities and his breeding ground. He did, however, give command that should Earth fall, we are to relocate to Abydoss to be in position for a second invasion. With the destruction of the other two, this is the only capital ship within a hundred years. So get going."

"Of course, my lord. Powering sublight engines. All systems are normal. Taking off. We are leaving the gravity well. Preparing to open a hyperspace window. Activating hyper drive."

As the hyper-drive generator drew more and more power to shift the gigantic ship into a different layer of space, the manipulations Sef'ran had made on the complex device finally took hold. On the very edge of Earth's atmosphere, the ship exploded in a bright ball of light and heat, so bright that for a moment, the humans of Earth felt a second sun was born in the sky, before the noise and the heat hit them. Despite, or maybe because of the sheer power of the generator, the flash itself was fairly short, though, just long enough to be easily recognizable.

.

The explosion of the third capital ship in orbit around Earth momentarily startled the whole room and even caused the ground to shake slightly. Despite knowing that it might happen, Thundering Eagle was unprepared for the sudden sound and forced to stumble slightly before he managed to steady himself. Despite his situation, Ra grinned in satisfaction at his enemy's first sign of weakness.

"Ra'tep, take the remaining courtyard team and secure the surroundings. And find out what that was and if we need to prepare for anything. Once you are done, see if you can find a way to temporarily block the Chappa'ai."

It only took Ra'tep a short glance outwards to confirm what he had already suspected.

"The third capital ship has taken off." Looking directly in Ra's eyes, who had now developed a superior smirk, he continued, "As planned, it exploded once they tried to flee the planet. There are still parts of the ship burning through reentry. Sorry, buddy, there won't be any help coming this way."

Thundering Eagle nodded as Ra'tep turned to once again leave the room. "So, ladies, gentleman and snakes, are we ready to negotiate, or do we have to continue starring at each other hatefully."

While most of the Goa'uld actually seemed fairly intimidated and ready for a deal, Ra's face twisted into a strange grimace between pure hatred, and superiority.

"You are standing in the very centre of my own temple. I am a god, superior to all others. Do you really think you stand a chance to get out of here alive? I will make sure your death is as slow and as painful as I can make it, and I will happily take the time to try it over and over again until I have it perfected."

Now, it was Thundering Eagle's turn to smirk. "You are a parasitic alien, not even a foot long, and unable to survive above water without taking a host, that developed a couple of thousand years ago on a small swamp planet on the other side of this galaxy. There is absolutely nothing godly about you. But please, do prove me wrong. Striking me down with your divine and absolute powers."

Waiting for a moment, his arms spread wide to the side, the immortal regarded his opponent critically, confidently meeting the other's glare.

"Yeah. I did not think so. The only way you are going to get out of here alive today is if you cooperate. Compared to you, we are as close to gods as we wish to be. We can not die. We form the world around us to our desire, and should we ever wish to, destroying you takes no more then a thought from us."

Graceful Cobra's face wrinkled slightly to the side, wondering if Thundering Eagle was not laying it on a bit thickly. While everything he said was true, as far as they knew, there was no way the Goa'uld were going to believe it this easily. Motioning for their defacto leader to wait for a moment, and thereby bringing all attention to himself, the warrior pulled the knife he had confiscated from Ra from his belt, displaying the blade for all to see.

"Just to prove his point, because I know you will probably not believe him." After slicing the blade along the edge of the table, leaving a deep gash and proving it's sharpness, the immortal used it to part the cloth around his stomach. With a quick trust, he finally buried the blade in his own guts. Satisfied by the sharp intake of breath he could here from the table, Graceful Cobra looked up to coolly meet their gazes.

Slowly pulling the knife back out, he used his left hand to spread the wound, biting back a grimace of pain as he did so, displaying a wide, deep wound bleeding heavily. Finally following the instincts he had, over many years, painfully instilled in himself, he embraced the infinity that carried his powers and allowed the wound finally to reseal. To the eyes of the astonished System Lords, the flesh seemed to knit itself back together, hundreds of times faster then even a symbiote or a hand device would be capable of doing, until not even a scar remained. Only the blood and the destroyed clothes indicated the event had ever happened.

"You can not beat us. If we ever decide to kill you, we can simply walk through all your Jaffa, all your ships, everything you pitch against us, and calmly strangle you to death. We are unstoppable."

While Thundering Eagle disliked his old friends theatrics, he had to admit the effectiveness of the display. Where before most System Lords seemed to be sceptical at best, they now seemed to be afraid for their life. While fear was probably not the best weapon to wield against an enemy, it was the best they had right now, especially since they were probably at a severe disadvantage strategically. They had now way to stop even a single Goa'uld if he decided to wipe them out from orbit.

"So, are you interested in surviving, or do you wish for us to kill you." The cold, almost cruel look on his face came natural to Thundering Eagle as he thought of his wife and son, his family, kidnapped and in the hands of these monsters.

"What is it that you want?" As usual, Ra was the spokesperson for the group, even though Thundering Eagle saw him glance around at his companions before he agreed to negotiate this time.

"You will leave Earth and never come back. If we ever see any Goa'uld around here again, we will hunt you down and kill you all." Thundering Eagle was well aware his demands were harsh to the point of being unacceptable, but at the same time, for the immortals, they were almost non-negotiable.

Ra's eyes seemed to budge slightly and he actually spluttered for a moment, to the great amusement of his captors, before he caught himself and the demands.

"Tau'ri is and has been the domain of the System Lords for thousands of years. You have no claim to it."

Thundering Eagle had expected this argument, and found it a weak one, probably just designed to buy the alien time to organize his thoughts.

"You came to Earth as conquerors, subdued the population and took what was rightfully theirs. Now we are just taking what you took before, what is rightfully ours. Such is the nature of war. Make no mistake, you will leave Earth, or you will die on it. Throwing you through the Chappa'ai is a very easy task for us. Of course, we might just miss a symbol and by accident sent you somewhere completely different. These large, flesh eating slugs do not still populate the forest around the Chappa'ai on Olana, do they?"

Ra seemed dissatisfied, but with the situation as it was, Thundering Eagle doubted any agreement could satisfy the Supreme System Lord. Most of his power and influence stemmed directly from his access to uncountable hosts and slaves and his ability to control the other Goa'uld's access. Removing Earth from his domain would undoubtedly weaken his position greatly for quite some time.

"How do we know you will not kill us anyways, once we have left the planet. If what he said is true, we can not stop you if you do."

Thundering Eagle nodded slightly. "We have currently no wish to wage war against the Goa'uld. We are peace loving people, and do not like combat, even though we are exceptionally good at it. You have my word that, as long as the Goa'uld do not attack us or Earth, we will not attack you."

Ra merely snorted and raised an eyebrow, one that was, as Thundering Eagle noted, way too perfect for a human being, and even more so for a human living in the harsh conditions of a desert.

"Additionally, of course, since we do not want to deal with a regular influx of Goa'uld invasions, we need you to control the other Goa'uld who are not here today."

"You can hardly expect us to police all other Goa'uld. The Chappa'ai allows for instant transportation here, and organizing a small assault group does not take much time. I can almost guarantee that the first Goa'uld will try to attack Earth not even a day after we are gone from here." One of the observing System Lords butted in from the side, causing Ra to nod along.

"I have a feeling you do not wish for this negotiation to succeed. If so, then why do you even bother, instead of killing us directly."

Thundering Eagle shared a glance with Ra'tep, listening in from outside, and a nod with Graceful Cobra, before he once again addressed Ra. "You are right. We had not thought of that. Even though we will bury the Chappa'ai, we can not expect you police all Goa'uld activities. Therefore, we will deal with all groups of up to ten Goa'uld or their loyal subjects. Everything above that will be your responsibility."

"Even a minor System Lord would easily spare a couple of Alkesh if he hopes to gain the Tau'ri in return. If a stronger Goa'uld attacks, he would sent at least an Ha'tak, that's a thousand Jaffa you will have to deal with."

"Fine. You will deal with all groups above two hundred warriors. That should be a large enough dent for you to recognize." Ra thought for a moment, before signing and nodding his head in acceptance, recognizing a fair middle ground and the olive branch they were offered here. Right now, he did not believe himself to be in any position to argue.

"So we will protect you while what, you build up an army of humans to attack the System Lords as a whole once you are strong enough, confident that your own planet is safe thanks to our protection?" The same System Lord as before threw in, angrily.

Thundering Eagle said nothing, keeping his face carefully blank, well aware that this was exactly what they had planned. Apparently, Ra had not made that connection yet, but quickly caught up with his underlings train of thought.

"Well, I don't think so. If we are to do this, you will not teach these primitives your advanced technology, or anything else for that matter. I will leave behind a group of my best Jaffa with a shuttle stationed here at the Chappa'ai to make sure you follow these guidelines."

"Absolutely not. The moment you are gone, we will bury the gate and leave it there. Under no circumstance will we allow you to station soldiers here to spy on us."

"Then I guess our deal is off. How else can we be sure you are keeping you promise?"

"You have my word."

"Your word?" Ra spotted. "And that is supposed to mean anything?"

Graceful Cobra growled slightly in defence of his friends honour, but Thundering Eagle seemed to take it in stride. "It should. I am no Goa'uld. If you are unsure, however, please feel free to sent by a scout ship to observe us. Just be sure there are less then two hundred scouts, and be aware that it is a long way from your domains to our planet."

"Well, we won't even have to land to scan the planet."

"True, however, this whole System is, aside from Earth, completely uninteresting. So it won't hurt you never to enter it again."

Once again, Ra spluttered for a moment before he had formulated a complete sentence. "You want the complete system? Absolutely not. What would happen, for example, if we had to stop for emergency repairs, or even land a ship some day? You can have everything to this planets moon, and in exchange, you will not go past it either."

While the details took a few more hours to work out, the threat of the rebellion coming closer seemed to spur the System Lords on, accelerating the talks further and further.

In the end, the 'Retreation Treaty of the 7322nd year of the Rule of Ra' was a relatively simple piece of papyrus, which the Goa'uld insisted on, that listed the key points discussed at the very beginning, as well as the terms of the Goa'ulds departure and the immortals agreement to destroy any and all remaining Goa'uld technology found. The sole exception was, of course, the Chappa'ai, which both sides hoped to use again someday.

.

For the past few hours, Teal'c had fought hard to slowly push the defending Jaffa back into the palace. In the narrow corridors of the temple, the fight had been extremely bloody for the defenders, despite the harsh training the former First Prime had put his squad under. Out of the initial fifty men under his command, only a dozen could be found after they had gotten past the main gate, and since then, another six had died.

After having crossed and cleared dozens of smaller courtyards, the six men immediately saw the difference to the one they had now entered. Firstly, chunks of rubble, some as large as a men, others not even the size of a fist, blocked the entrance. Once the team had managed to clear stone enough away to climb over the small, artificial hill, they realized the destruction continued throughout the whole courtyard. The surrounding buildings, all of them at some point no doubt extremely impressive, lay in ruins. Quite a few actually looked to be unstable. The only exception was a relatively small, yet most impressively decorated pavilion at the very end of the yard that was easily the largest they had crossed yet.

Non of this really mattered to Teal'c, though. While all the other rebels were unfamiliar with galactic politics, technology and the actual enemy, the time traveller, even from fifty paces away, easily recognized the dozen or so figures dressed in rich gowns and heavy jewels, that were led through the yard by eight men and women, all of them armed.

It took the Jaffa a moment to recognize Thundering Eagle, though, the strange leader of the powerful warriors that had arrived the night before amongst the guards. In the middle between the pavilion Teal'c now assumed was the main meeting chamber, and the Chappa'ai on the other end, the group halted and one figure, possibly Ra himself, bent down to place a Vo'cume projector on the ground and activating it. Immediately, a larger than life Ra appeared over the courtyard, his voice booming through the whole palace.

"Jaffa! We have reached a truce with the Tau'ri and will abandon this planet. By the order of your god, cease all hostilities immediately and retreat to the Chappa'ai."

Teal'c was floored, and saw that his companions were as well. After months of struggle, after a long day of constant fighting, victory was finally theirs. Despite his wish to talk to Thundering Eagle, to find out what was going on, and to celebrate, the Jaffa motioned for his remaining men to take cover and continued to survey the ground.

Over the next hour, the group waited patiently while more and more Jaffa streamed from the palace, many of them wounded in some way. In a way, it gave Teal'c a small satisfaction to see the damage they had inflicted on their enemies. He was well aware that what he saw now was only a fraction of what had originally been stationed inside the palace, never mind whatever the other Goa'uld had brought with them from their own domains.

With the exception of a two figures - one Goa'uld, one guard - darting forward for a moment to redial the gate when it closed automatically, non of the Goa'uld seemed to move around. The arriving Jaffa, though, never stayed for long. On their respective Lord's or Lady's command, they would all immediately step through the Chappa'ai, leaving Earth behind.

Just after an hour later, as the stream of Jaffa slowly died down, a dozen or so Tel'taks suddenly appeared over the courtyard and began ringing troops down. As before, the mix of Jaffa and, this time, Goa'ulds, probably minor ones, was immediately sent through the Chappa'ai.

When finally no further warriors remained, Thundering Eagle motioned for the Goa'uld System Lords he was holding hostage to approach the gate as well and, with a few last words, sent them through before finally allowing the gate to shut down.

Without hesitation, Teal'c pushed himself to his feet and briskly walked to meet the group of warriors.

"Your plan worked, then?" He asked, non-to-friendly.

"It has indeed, my friend. We lost a lot more people then we anticipated, but we got in. I'm glad you made it out alive, as well. Too many people died today."

"Why did you let all of them go, though. You should know that they will return to get revenge, and killing even one Goa'uld can only be a good thing." Thundering Eagle fixed Earth's last Jaffa with an annoyed look for a moment, before he chose to reply.

"As I said. Too many people, too many good people died today. I do not enjoy killing and try not to if I have a choice. Besides, they are more useful where they are now, as you very well know."

Turning to address his fellow immortals, Thundering Eagle continued,

"My friends. Today, victory is ours. The price was high, though. Plenty of blood has been spilled on both sides, and we no longer are invisible to the enemy. Our new friend here is right, though. If we are not careful, the Goa'uld will return to try and get revenge, and eventually, they will succeed."

Closing his eyes for a moment, the old warrior steeled himself before taking a deep breath and piercing his companions with a stare. "Bury the gate and set us truly free. Today, freedom is ours to take."

Alarmed, Graceful Cobra stepped forward to get to his friends side and leaned forward slightly, whispering. "Eagle. You do not have to do this. We can find her. She is out there, somehow, and even if we don't, she might make her way back. Do not condemn yourself to this life."

The smile on Thundering Eagle's face at that moment seemed fake, even to Teal'c, who neither knew the man well nor could he hear the words spoken.

"Thank you, my friend. But I must do it. They were aware of the risks, and they, we all, agreed to take them. They would have wanted me to do this. We could not search for them anyways – at least not without breaking our new treaty."

Finding his strength once again, Thundering Eagle repeated his earlier order.

"Bury the gate!"

As if to prove his point, the immortal drew on his powers and allowed them to flow through his right hand,sending a huge bolt of energy to the ground in front of the gate.

While most of the stones covering the surface of the yard were immediately reduced to dust, several large chunks flew through the courtyard as well, although, due to inertia, all of them away from the group, leaving behind a wide, deep crater. A second, much smaller blast directly in front of the gate finally broke it's support structure and sent the whole thing tumbling to the ground and into the crater, leaving Teal'c to observe the results of the impossible deed he had just witnessed.

Spotting a few bodies on the ground a few dozen paces away, where the retreating Jaffa had left them, apparently not caring for their dead comrades, Graceful Cobra picked up the two strongly build warriors with an ease that belied their weight, and threw them into the crater after the gate.

"Let them be a warning for those coming, of the enemy that lies behind this gate, so that they shall never open it again."

Nodding, Thundering Eagle stepped up next to his friend to the crater's edge. "Not the way I would have done it, but still a good idea. We shall make a cover stone as well, to put our message in words and to preserve the knowledge of what lies beneath."

.

Shining Moon instantly recognized the dull, throbbing pain in her head and the quiet aching of her muscles as the aftereffects of a zat'ni'katel stun shot. Strangely enough, though, it took her brain several more moments before her shoulders and wrists started protesting from the brutal treatment.

The young-looking woman was currently hanging midair in a small, dark chamber, suspended from the ceiling by tight manacles around her wrists and ankles, keeping her body completely stretched and putting a large strain on her shoulders from holding her full weight.

By the time the immortal had gotten used to the semi-darkness of her prison, she slowly began to regain her orientation and her memories of the events of her mission and her capture.

"Son!"

Despite her exclamation only being a loud whisper, caused by her own pain, her dry throat, and her fear of being found, the noise hurt her ears. A quiet groan indicated she was not the only one. Twisting around in her chains, ignoring the pain in favour of her mother instincts, the immortal let out grateful breath when she found her son looking back at her, bleary eyed.

"What happened, mum?"

With a few, carefully quiet words, Shining Moon reignited her son's own memories, before turning to the situation at hand.

"Are you all right?"

"My head hurts to much to really concentrate and tap, and my muscles ache, but nothing that would kill me. You okay."

Smiling, the woman reassured her son before she registered what he had said. Contrary to the still relatively young man, Shining Moon had spent literally ages learning to control her powers, and her abilities with them were on par with her husbands and Graceful Cobra's, their best and oldest friend, and almost instinctive. Having forgotten about the powers she had perfected over thousands of years was therefore strange, but given her situation maybe a little understandable.

Emerging herself in the wonderful, calming infinity was therefore hardly a problem, and Shining Moon could easily bleed of her sores and pains. Calling forth her powers a bit more, she was satisfied to see the familiar white light shine through the room. With a few flicks of her fingers, she had freed both herself and her son from their chains.

"It would appear, " Shining Moon smiled at her son, "that whoever holds us prisoner, most likely the Goa'uld, have no idea what we can do."

Lovingly, the mother ruffles her sons hair and massages his scull, his head in her lap, hoping to ease his pain. Despite him being older than any human could ever hope to be, and having accomplished a great deal in that time, he was still her little boy. In a way, being immortal suppressed your sense of time, and of course also meant for any child that their parents would take a lot longer to release them into adulthood. Still, after two thousand years of life, Shining Wolf had forged his own path and made his own mistakes, although he still enjoyed the closeness he share with both his parents.

"We should probably get out of here. I can't imagine they'll like finding us out of our chains. Plus, we need to get back to Earth to help father."

"We will, once you get your powers back. Until we know what is behind that door, we will plan for the worst, and that means both of us have to be at our best. As much as I hate to say it, though, we can not return to Earth once we get out of here. Your father either succeeded and buried the gate, or failed and was killed. Should the Goa'uld know what we can do, we will not be able to even get away from the gate before they kill us as well. I'm sorry son, but we will have to start on a new planet."

His face grim, Shining Wolf nodded before pushing himself to his feet. "In that case, we best try to find a nice little planet we can use."

Getting out of their cell proved to be extremely easy. The door had a heavy shield on it that would have taken long to overpower and was probably tied to an alarm. The wall next to it, on the other hand, relied on heavy metal as armour and could be sliced through within moments.

As it turned out, mother and son had been transferred to isolated temple on a backwater planet. Apparently, Ra used the temple as a stronghold, since the concentration of guards was high and their firepower even higher. Most of these seemed to be tasked with keeping enemies out, though, so sneaking around in the planet was easy to the two seasoned infiltrators.

In the end, a Tel'tak scheduled for departure proved to be the perfect way of leaving the planet. After disabling the piloting Goa'uld, and the Jaffa guarding it, the pair decided to continue their course to the little planet they were going. It was, apparently, unknown to most Goa'uld, relatively far from all major System Lords, and rich in resources. The pilot was tasked with ascertaining whether the planet was rich enough to be worth the distance and to find out how humans came to be there. Tollan sounded as good to live on as any other planet.

.

On Earth, meanwhile, Teal'c organized the remaining rebels to hunt down the last Jaffa, offering a chance for freedom as simple farmers on Earth, before dissipating the fighting force. Ra's palace, a symbol of their suppression, was stripped to it's foundations and used as material to construct new cities and a large memorial, a lion to symbolize the fierceness and the bravery the humans had displayed in their struggle, with a human head to symbolize both the rebels that had died, and the future their race now hoped to have.

The nine remaining immortals, eight from the palace and one from the assault on the main gate, meanwhile, true to their word in the treaty with the Goa'uld, disappeared from Egypt using the last remaining ship, the one they had flown down from Shank'anon to join the fight. Together, they spread word of the fall of the gods throughout the world and organized resistance against any remaining Goa'uld they found, that had chosen to ignore Ra's call to abandon Earth.

Three months later, a caravan brought a strange man with it to the large pyramids, where he immediately went to see Teal'c.

"Warrior. Thank you for meeting with me. I am afraid I am in need of your help."

Curiously, the former First Prime raised an eyebrow, before mustering the man standing before him. Although his memories of the last battle were shrouded by the adrenalin and the death, the face of the man before him was one he would never forget, since he had probably saved his life and that of countless others.

"You are dead. I saw you die, and I saw your body burn."

Quen'top smiled at the Jaffa, an easy, carefree smile that was full of hope and impossible during a time of war.

"Trust me, I am as surprised as you are. Weeks after the fight, I woke up in the desert, naked as the day I was born, not remembering how I got there or who I am. The memories came back, slowly, but steadily, and I now remember everything. I was most glad to hear we succeeded."

Teal'c merely nodded, still skeptically.

"I was hoping, though, you could tell me where my friends are. A few people remember the strange warriors, but nobody seems to know where they went."

"Those that survived left, since they are no longer allowed to be known to men. They will return to check on us, but planned to remain hidden. For now, they want to cleanse Earth of the last Goa'uld."

Quen'top nodded in understanding, before falling silent for a while.

"How many of us are left?"

"Nine. One of those, that attacked the gate with us, and eight of those that had assaulted the palace – and you, of course."

Quen'top muttered a quick prayer for his friends souls, before looking back up at the other man.

"If you do not mind, I'll stick around somewhere close. When they check in, they will probably come by here, and I'll hopefully find them. And maybe, others were as lucky as I was and will arrive here over time."

"I would be honoured."

Quen'top smiled once more. "The honour, my friend, is mine."

As Quen'top had prognosticated, all seven of the supposedly dead immortals showed up over the next three years, the last being the youngest of them arriving from his track home from the southern half of the continent, only weeks before a Tel'tak appeared on the horizon.

Needless to say, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate that night, as the sixteen truly immortal beings blew up the last piece of Goa'uld technology on the planet, watching joyously as flames consumed their craft.

Early the next morning, half a dozen groups of figures of varying size could be seen riding and walking in different directions away from Egypt.

.

Six hundred years later, Chronos watched almost giddily as one of his Jaffa dialled the Chappa'ai. Ever since he had heard about Ra's departure from Earth, and, by liberal use of bribes, threats and blackmail, about the reasons for it, he had waited for the right moment to return to the most profitable world in the galaxy. After so many generations of humans, he figured non of the defenders from back then could possibly still be alive, and the stories of the Goa'uld and their defeat would have faded into legend. It was, in other words, the perfect moment for his return.

For a Goa'uld, Chronos was relatively average. While he did not have the wealth or importance of a System Lord, he had several other, minor Goa'uld in his service and a decent army of Jaffa at his command. He did, however, lack human slaves to efficiently work his mines, fields and factories. The Tau'ri would change that nicely.

Even though Ra had issued orders for no Goa'uld to ever get close to the Tau'ri again, Chronos knew that one of his spies had messed up at one point. Currently, the Supreme System Lord knew what he was doing, but either did not think he could do it, or simply wished to let it play out. After all, the Supreme System Lord wanted to return to Earth as well, both to conquer it and to find out what was happening there now, but could not go himself without breaking the treaty forced upon him.

For now, though, only a two Jaffa and a minor Goa'uld, dressed in light garb to protect them from Egypt's heat, would move through the gate to find out what's on the other side. If they report the situation is good, the Goa'uld had his one hundred and ninety most capable Jaffa, as well as nine of his most trusted Lieutenants standing ready.

As the even horizon stabilized, Chronos allowed himself a smile. Just as he had suspected, the arrogant Tau'ri had not buried the gate. Nodding, he sent his men forward and into the unknown. Seconds later, his communicator clicked as the scout team reported in.

"M...M...My L...L...ord. Everything is i...i...ice here. The...the...gate is on one of the p...poles."

Chronos frowned in annoyance. While he had purchased several ships and had his engineers dissemble them for transport through the gate, assembling them would take several days. Judging by the jittering of his underling, who had the advantage of a symbiote healing him, he would not even get a few minutes out of every Jaffa he sent through, never mind the human slaves. Goa'uld could probably get the job done, but he knew they would protest or even rebel if he ordered them to certain death.

"Understood. Return immediately. The mission will have to be delayed."

Chronos turned in annoyance, angrily striding back towards his palace. This was throwing his plans to join the council of System Lords back significantly. As he suspected, only the Goa'uld made it back through the doorway, the two Jaffa having frozen to death on the other side.


	10. 10 Invasion

**Chapter 10: Invasion**

_Oval Office, Washington DC, Present Day_

President Glassner let out a small whistle when Arthur finished his story, before leaning back in his chair to contemplate what he had been told. In a way, the storyteller appreciated the dignitaries lack of response. It showed that, probably as a result of years as a professional politician, the man had learnt not to simply shout out the first thing that sprang to his mind.

"That does explain a lot, actually. We had wondered why the Goa'uld had never returned en force after the Egyptians defeated them. After all, we still have no weapon capable of beating them back."

"Not quite, but..." Arthur simply disregarded the Presidents curious and excited look with a swish of his hand.

"So, did you ever see her again? Your wife, I mean?"

Arthur's smile broadened immediately, while his eyes dropped a bit, giving Glassner the impression of a man in conflict with his own emotions.

"So you did figure it out. Faster then I thought you would, as well. What gave me away?"

"It was not that difficult, really. The respect Charles had for you, like you were some bigger then life figure; the fact that in your story, only one character really seemed to be leading the others; or even just that proud light in your eyes whenever you talked about your son. You did not answer my question, though. Don't stall."

This time, Arthur's smile dropped visibly, leaving behind a world-weary man desperate for change.

"No. We did manage to get a few messages out, every once in a while, but the treaty prevented me from leaving and her from returning. I know she is doing fine and actually continued the fight against the Goa'uld with the Tollans for a long time."

"My reports indicate that the Tollans, when we met them, were a completely isolated people, with no wish to aid us, or fight the Goa'uld."

"The Tollans you met had just recently lost their planet to a large catastrophe caused by others, that forced them to completely abandon their way of life and even their own home. Compared to Earth, there are fairly few of them, and even the fact that they managed to stay independent from Goa'uld rule is extremely impressive. That they managed to protect another few planets is even more so."

President Glassner looked puzzled. "I was informed that the planet just recently underwent the dramatic changes that destroyed its ecosystem. Their policies of non-interference, on the other hand, seem to be a lot older. Non of those we met even mentioned a fight against the Goa'uld."

"Shifting a planet out of its stable orbit is not an easy thing to do, and requires a lot of energy. For an uncontrolled, unfocused blast, no matter how strong, to do so is a credit to the Tollan energy production technology. Still, all the explosion did was nudge the planet a little bit. It took dozens of years until there would be a recognizable shift in orbit, and at least a hundred of them until the orbit shifted enough for the planet to actually be uninhabitable."

"How do you know all this?"

Arthur smiled at the man's question, having expected it much earlier. "Well, we did download the recent mission reports, and from there a lot of it is simply Physics. By the way, I must commend whoever designed your digital security system. Moving all files to an independent system without outside access is genius. As for the rest of it though, well, you saw I met the Tollans. I'm assuming that camera did not have audio?"

The President shook his head. "No. Although Dr. Jackson, after being assured he would not be facing any kind of repercussions, provided a summary of the conversation you had with the Tollan security officer. Dr. Jackson is a prodigy when it comes to everything spoken, so I am pretty sure his report was flawless."

As Arthur continued to simply smile at him, President Glassner opened his mouth to ask his question once again, when understanding finally filled his eyes. "Son and Father. You called that man son. Originally, we discarded it as a curious figure of speech. How would an Earth ambassador ever father a highly-developed alien. Now, it is obvious and the rest of the conversation makes so much more sense. That really is Shining Wolf, your son."

Arthur nodded at him, before explaining. "Obviously, after being separated for five thousand years, it took us a moment to really reconnect on the level we used to, but after living together for two thousand years as a family, sharing thoughts and emotions regularly, you get back into the familiar patterns quickly."

"So you'll finally get to see your family again. Did your son not break the treaty with the Goa'uld, anyways?"

Arthur wiggled his hand from side to side. "Kind of, and yet not. For reasons I'll get into later, we can not easily break the treaty. The only reason Shining Wolf was able to get to Earth was that he was unconscious, and did not know where he was. As for seeing them again: well, I suspect that with the way things are going right now, the Goa'uld will be trying to challenge the treaty in close future. They simply can not afford to continue to ignore the threat the Tau'ri have become. Once that happens, we will, of course, be ready."

President Glassner looked puzzled. "So in all these years, the Goa'uld have never attempted to return to Earth? That does not really fit what we know about the Goa'uld."

Arthur smiled fairly. "Oh, they attempted, all right. They simply never succeeded in staying."

.

_Unnamed planet, Chronos' territory, 1000 BC_

With a large amount of satisfaction, the powerful Goa'uld regarded the ships standing in front of him. While flying them was not as easy as flying a death-glider, he had spent a lot of time having his Jaffa training. They would, after all, have to execute an extremely difficult manoeuvre to begin with, a manoeuvre the pilots had aptly named 'threading the needle'.

His disability to reassemble ships on the other side of the Tau'ri gate had caused Chronos a fair amount of trouble. For the first few hundred years, the Goa'uld had his few scientists working on ways to allow the Jaffa to survive long enough in the cold to assemble the ships. At first, progress was adequate, at best, but forty years later, one of them managed to modify a space suit to fit a Jaffa and to withstand the icy winds. When they were finally done, they had found the suit to be too bulky to correctly assemble the highly complicated hull parts of the ship. Of course, non of this would have enabled Chronos himself to return to Earth, since there was no way he was going to endure the cold or hide his beautiful face in some suit.

In the end, the god's vanity did not matter. Even a simple Tel'tak proved to be much to complicated to dumb down to a click-and-fly system, so for the next few hundred years, they attempted to optimize the suits more and more until Chronos finally grew impatient and terminated the matter himself. The scientist who had first proposed the project and had supervised it had quickly been made to feel his Lord's displeasure, and won't be making any mistakes anymore.

In the end, the solution proved to be a wonderfully simple one. Since the ships could not be assembled on the other side, but were needed there, they would simply have to bring the ships with them. Of course, the matter was much more complicated then that. While getting to the planet was easy enough - all they had to do was modify a death-glider to fit through the gate - getting off was much more difficult. Without on foot access to the gate, they needed a way to remotely dial home. Additionally, the death-gliders weaponry was designed primarily for space-combat. Should they really encounter descendants of the strange aliens that had defeated Ra so long ago, they would need a lot more firepower power available.

Lastly, though, Chronos simply did not have the means to fly two hundred ships through the gate. Most of his fleet was needed to protect his galactic interests and could not be made available. Additionally, the Tau'ri slaves would, of course, not be flying out in armed gliders. As a result, some kind of transport ship was needed.

The first problem turned out to be the most difficult one. After almost two hundred years of research and trying to back engineer the Chappa'ai's dialling device, and just as Chronos contemplated giving up and just sacrificing a human or Jaffa every time somebody passed throughl, the Chappa'ai on one of his research outposts activated and a crystal with specifications for a ship based dialling mushroom passed through. Chronos suspected Ra's involvement, who had sworn revenge on the Tau'ri aliens. The system was a lot larger then what Chronos had aimed for, since it recreated the gatebuilder's system, but it would fit on the cargo ships at least.

About one thousand, three hundred years after the Goa'uld left Earth, and seven hundred years after Chronos reestablished a connection, the Chappa'ai in on the planets northern pole activated once again.

After being buried in the ice since the gatebuilders left the galaxy, many hundred thousand years ago, the small cave holding the gate had shrunk down to almost nothing. Only the ancient race's unbelievably powerful, crystal based power source, that has provided the gate's superconducting energy circuits with enough charge for an incoming wormhole, which in turn miniscule heated the imposing metal ring to just above the melting point of ice, prevented the cave from disappearing completely and the two rings from freezing together.

The first thing to pass through the gate were dozens of small, round balls, that burst into a large, hot white flame, burning for several minutes, melting and even evaporating the ice in the immediate surroundings of the interstellar transportation device. Afterwards, a hot, red laser beam as wide as the Stargate itself, began cutting straight through the ice, angled slightly upwards to reach the surface.

One of the disadvantages of the new glider was the small amount of space available for the thrusting systems. Since high speeds were necessary for a pilot to survive a combat situation, Chrono's engineers decided to, instead, cut back on the anti-gravity device that enabled the Goa'uld ships to fly more slowly then aerodynamics would allow or, in case of larger Goa'uld ships, even hover motionlessly inside a gravity well. As a result, the first glider, and with it the first Jaffa in over a thousand years, to return to Earth shot through the gate at, for such small caves, impossibly high speeds and would have immediately exploded on the opposite wall, were it not for the laser.

"This is eyeball. Command, I can see the sky from down here. I repeat, mission success. The way is clearer."

Upon confirmation, two dozen more gliders quickly succeeded each other to leave the wormhole, before finally five almost twenty meters long, cylindrical crafts appeared over Earth's northern pole, four carrying the remaining Jaffa and Goa'uld, packed tightly, and one their leader, Chronos, and his personal attendants.

.

"My lord. We have reached Egypt. First scans show the Chappa'ai burried in the sand right where it used to be. There are several smaller settlements around, although non of significant size. Shall we land?"

Chronos inspected the information displayed on the screen, confirming what his First Prime had already told him.

"No. Keep going. According to my information and my calculations, the north should be more densely populated by now and more comfortably climated. We do not need the gate."

"Of course, my lord."

.

Quen'top lazily guided his horse along a small path on the southern tip of what today is called Greece, his partner right behind him. Ever since the immortals had left Egypt in the aftermath of the rebellion, Earth's saviours had lived homelessly, always en route from one village to the next to help the people and to search for any new dangers to humanity.

Although non of them were really happy with where live had taken them, the immortals knew that living anywhere would mean having to explain just why they never seemed to die, never even seemed to age. Travelling the land meant less comfort, but it also meant a better protection of their secrets, and, thereby, the treaty with the Goa'uld. Still, almost one thousand five hundred years after leaving Shank'anon, a place to truly call home sounded wonderful to Quen'top.

Their ranks had continued to grow in that time, although nowhere near as much as they had before the rebellion. Still, two new immortals had been reborn, which is what they called the first time they used their powers, which in turn they called tapping, during the time on the move. Whenever that happened, a ripple would vibrate through the fabric that fuelled their powers, alerting the other immortals as to the location of their new brother or sister. Once they stopped using their powers again, though, and moved to a new place, their arriving mentors would have to search for them, hoping to find another clue as to who they are. Eventually, they always did.

Quen'top was violently jerked out of his musings when his young partner, the elder of the two new tappers, grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Cursing, the immortal crushed his first reflex to reach into his powers and defend himself, before following the young man's stretched finger.

At just shy of two hundred years, Herakles had seen more than most humans ever got to see during their whole life, especially when few of them ever even left their own village or tribe. Despite that, he retained his youthful joy in discovering new things, and would get an infectious grin and a light shining behind his light blue eyes whenever he found a new mystery to investigate.

"By the void, they fly. What do you think it is?" he asked, a childlike curiosity in his question that belied his age.

Quen'top could only stare in shock as more and more ships dove out of the clouds and lowered themselves over Europe. Despite being a different entirely model than those he knew, the design, the weapons and the formation of the eighteen ships screamed Goa'uld to the veteran.

"Ride for Egypt immediately. Ride as hard as you can, and get there as fast as you can. Spread the word. The Goa'uld are back, and they brought plenty of ships. I'll try to find out where they are going and what they are up to, then follow you as soon as I can."

Herakles starred in shock. He had heard the other immortals talking about the war, had once seen Thundering Eagle, a kind, joyful man, who was a rock nobody seemed to be able to move or hurt, on the anniversary of the rebellion. Despite them winning, despite knowing that they had made the world a better place, non of the powerful beings ever felt like celebrating, knowing that they had lost two of their own that day, two who would probably have to endure untold horrors and who would never have a chance to return home.

Glancing at the almost three dozen ships in the sky, he marvelled at the beauty of destruction and chaos. The crafts were shiny silver, perfectly round, and, at least the smaller ones, extremely sleek. The pilots were obviously well trained, since they flew the crafts in perfect synchronization, reacting to each other's moves and constantly moving along the fleet of transporters they were obviously guarding, looking for any and all threats.

"Go!" Sufficiently encouraged, the young immortal immediately spurred his horse on, almost flying over the country side for many moments before his logic caught up with his instincts. While the Goa'uld had been his personal bogyman for as long as he knew about them, Egypt was far away. If he exhausted his horse now, or even worse, lost it, he would be forced to abandon it and make his way on foot, at least until he found a new one. While stealing was a concept he despised, he knew that right now, every moment counted.

Quen'top watched his young charge leave for a moment before turning his horse once more, following in the direction of the fleet. If he was lucky, they would keep going straight and he might have a chance to catch up with them wherever they landed. From the direction, they might be coming from Egypt and the Chappa'ai there, even though that gate should be buried and guarded.

The immortal elder was not overly concerned for his young charge. He would be heading east a bit, to cross down to Africa via the Middle East, where he would hopefully not encounter any Goa'uld. Maybe, with any luck, he might even find a few of their friends on the way to send them his way and to support him. As for all outlaws and bandits waylaying him - they were more then welcome to try, of course, but with the urgency of his message, and the powers he had available, the poor sods were probably going to come to regret their decision.

.

Thundering Eagle stood before the great Sphinx, inspecting the various signs carved into it with both interest and amusement. Over the years they had used the impressive building the people of Egypt had build as a guard from the old gods and as a monument to those who died as their personal message board to keep track of who was going where, when he would return, and anything else worth mentioning, their style of writing, their language, and even their words had changed significantly as they adopted ideas from other societies that slowly began to advance into civilization or developed new concepts of their own.

It was the large message in the centre of the segment he was currently expecting, roughly a thousand years old, that caused the man to smile as he remembered the day. Surrounded by well wishes from immortals now spread out all over the globe, was the wedding announcement of Graceful Cobra and his now wife Kore, an about two and a half thousand years younger immortal that had joined him as an infiltrator in Egypt shortly after she first tapped.

The couple had asked Thundering Eagle to wed them. Although the immortal had had the right to do so as the governor of Shank'anon, he had most of the time chosen to observe from the background and not get involved with the day to day politics of the humans. They were, he had felt, to fragile in the ever-changing, endless current of life he was living. For his two friends, though, Egeria's former servant gladly had made an exception.

After loosing his wife and son, Thundering Eagle had been devastated. Defeating the Goa'uld throughout the world had given him a focus, but ultimately, a relationship that long necessarily meant that loosing the other would leave deep scars on ones soul.

Apart from his lost wife, Graceful Cobra was by far the person who knew Thundering Eagle best. Despite being separated by almost five hundred miles for most of their lives, the two men had formed a tight friendship and a deep bond of trust. Therefore, when Thundering Eagle had finally crashed, Graceful Cobra had been ready to step in and lead the immortals in his place, thereby giving his friend time and space to mourne.

Never in all the years since then, though, did he leave Thundering Eagle alone. Once the immortals had split up after the cleansing and travelled out into the world, Graceful Cobra and Kore had begun to follow their grieving leader, first from a distance as to not to disturb him, but later on as companions, friends and partners.

"Anything new, Eagle?" Kore appeared at his left shoulder, reading the text with him. They had found the slim, redheaded woman in northern England, hiding between a couple of rocks from a group of hunters out for her blood while the immortals still hid their nature from Egeria. Apparently, she had crashed a religious ceremony in which a group of children from the defeated tribe were to be sacrificed to thank the gods for the victory. Unaware of her own powers, she had been forced to run for her life after she had killed the shaman and freed the children. Thanks to the now destroyed Tel'tak, Shining Moon and Graceful Cobra had arrived just in time to intercept a patrol and get her out safely.

"Not really. Just a list of territories the others travelled to. Apparently, Ra'tep managed to negotiate a peace between two of the major tribes of the east, but apart from that, the situation seems quiet."

"Eagle! Do you sense that!" Hearing the stress in Graceful Cobra's voice, the immortal swirled around, staring intently. Graceful Cobra currently had his eyes closed, is fingertips shining dimly in the evening sun as he bled off excess energy from maintaining a connection to the field.

Kore regarded her companions in shock as both of them closed their eyes. Over the years they had travelled together, the young woman had quickly learnt that the control the pair had over their powers was immense, and far greater then anything she could hope to match yet. Still, sensing did not seem like a concept she was familiar with.

"What's going on?" The young woman took several moments to realize it was herself that had asked the question, before internally cursing herself. Obviously, both men were highly focused and would not appreciate her interference. To her surprise, though, Graceful Cobra answered easily with no strain audible in his voice.

"Somebody is tapping fairly heavily north-east from here. Not a rebirth, but simple tapping. I can not be sure, at this distance, but I think it is simply an attempt to communicate, to find others close by."

Thundering Eagle nodded. "It's approaching fairly fast. I'm guessing whoever it is, is on horseback, and pushing the horse hard. Judging by the direction, I'm guessing they are headed here - about two, maybe three days away."

Kore's mouth hung open in shock. "How the heck can you feel them all this way, and how can you know their location and distance? They are still way too far away to communicate."

Graceful Cobra turned towards their female companion. "It's not communication as such. When you take a cup of water out of an endless lake, you will not see a drop in the water level, but you will see the ripple of where it entered. The moment one of us taps, the ripple can be felt to those sensitive enough. When a new tapper appears, it's like dropping in a large boulder. The ripple is much larger, and therefore easier to detect. Eagle and I spent a lot of time working on our powers, and therefore are a bit closer to the void then most others."

Kore shook her head in amusement. "A bit. Right. When you simplify it as you did not, I can roughly imagine what you are talking about, but it is simply an abstract concept and nothing I could really understand. You two are ages ahead of us."

While Graceful Cobra simply shrugged, Thundering Eagle fully came out of his trance as well. "Whoever it is is definitely heading here and seems to have a message. Why don't you two ride out to meet him or her, I'll wait here to stop any others just in case they happen to pass through."

.

Graceful Cobra crept through the bushes ahead of Kore, careful not to make much noise. After a day and a half of hard riding, they had finally intercepted the presence he had felt earlier, and were now on the way to make contact.

Unfortunately, although they knew their contact was most likely a friend due to his or her powers, the urgency with which the rider had moved seemed to have attracted a lot of attention. Already, the pair had dogged two raiding parties combing the country side, looking for easy prey.

Finally, in a small clearing, they found a majestic black steed tied to a tree and a young man sleeping, sheltered from the light summer breeze under a thin blanket.

Indicating for his companion to be quiet, Graceful Cobra slowly inched forward until his hand shot out to cover the young man's mouth.

Startled from his sleep when a hand sealed his lips, Herakles jerked upwards while preparing to tap into his powers. After years of training with Quen'top, who insisted on startling him as part of his training regularly, his first few moves were instinctive.

When the young man found himself unable to roll to the side, he opened his mouth once again, intending to bite into the hand holding him as a last attempt to conceal his powers.

"Be still. There are raiders all around here. We don't want to attract attention. We are friends." When the man stopped struggling, Graceful Cobra slowly removed his hand, although Kore could still see him twitching in case the young man reacted once again.

"Who are you?" Herakles' voice did not show a hint of fear, understandably considering the power he was capable of calling forth, but the stress of his journey was easy to hear.

Graceful Cobra took a step back and settled down on the ground, before piercing the young man with a look. "We believe you were looking for us. This is Kore, my partner, and I am Graceful Cobra."

Almost immediately, the man felt the young man's mind touch his own as he verified his claim. Even amongst the immortals, a certain pecking order had established itself, and Graceful Cobra, as one of the oldest, was also one of the most respected ones.

"Thank the void I found you." The young man visibly sagged into herself once he realized his mission was completed successfully.

"My name is Herakles. I'm only a few hundred years old, so we have not met yet. Quen'top has taken me under his wing. Three months ago, we were on our way through Greece, just a routine patrol, when several dozen ships passed over us. Quen'top said he did not recognize the designs, but they were without a doubt Goa'uld fighters and cargo ships. He sent me here to alert the others, while he planned to follow them as well as possible, to find out where they went and what they want here."

Although Herakles managed to convey his whole message without taking as much as a single breath, Graceful Cobra had jumped up to start pacing half-way through it already.

"You did well. Thank you. Close of your mind."

When both of his companions simply looked confused, Graceful Cobra took the time to elaborate. "You are still trying to reach others through the void. Normally, that's a noble idea, but right now, I'm going to reach out myself. If you are connected to the void then, you will feel it, and to reach Thundering Eagle at the Sphinx, which is about two days away still, I can not really be gentle. So cease tapping, otherwise you will probably get a bad headache."

Graceful Cobra closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again a few moments later.

"Let's go."

Kore was the first one to find her voice a few moments later. "Hold on. We appear to have missed a few steps here. First of all, did you not say communicating over this distance was not possible. Secondly, were you not going to communicate with Eagle? And lastly, go where?"

"Not impossibly, just difficult. Eagle and I had to rely on long distance communication a lot of the time while I was in Egypt, to make sure Egeria did not find out or simply because it was faster, so we practised a lot. The mind is a wonderful thing, though. You think faster then you talk, so why should we restrict our communication to the speed our voice can articulate words. As for where we are going, to find the Goa'uld, of course. Eagle will wait for the others and then meet us at the crossing to Europe, and our job is to find the Goa'uld until they arrive."

.

When you are immortal, time becomes less important, especially as the years pass and little changes in the world. As a result, they often choose to settle down one place or another for a while, and only return to Egypt to check the news seldomly before moving on to the next area.

Normally, Thundering Eagle did not mind a bit. Normally, he would be one of those not returning to Egypt for centuries at a time, and it was by pure accident that he happened to be there when Herakles brought them the news. Right now, though, he was impatiently waiting for the other members of their group to finally appear.

It took almost two hundred years until the second group of immortals crossed the Bosporus strait into Europe. Locating the Goa'uld, on the other hand, was easy. All Quen'top and the other immortals had to do was follow the large flow of refugees back to it's origin on the Greek peninsula, and locate the most extravagant building there.

Standing on the edge of a small forest, Thundering Eagle and Graceful Cobra stood side by side looking up at the majestic mountain and the fortress sitting in the steepest part of the hill. Six of the two dozen fighters stationed there were constantly moving about, circling the fortress palace like moths a flame. Along the lone small path winding up the hill, a dozen heavy encampments were set up, manned with multiple Jaffa at all time. All groups not led by a Jaffa, or larger then five people including the guide, were immediately fired upon.

"Not that's a fortress." Thundering Eagle exclaimed with a small whistle when Graceful Cobra had finished reporting on his, his wife's and Herakles' findings. The small group of three and Quen'top had spent the time reckoning the area, trying to find any detail they could exploit. Non had turned up.

"You have no idea. The guards operating outside the palace are in constant rotation, ensuring they are well rested, but also giving us a idea as to the amount of people in there. Occasionally, a Goa'uld would venture outside to check on the guards or the slaves. As a result, though, we were able to identify a hundred and twelve different Jaffa, as well as thirty Goa'uld."

Once again, Thundering Eagle nodded, while the assembled immortals behind them listened with interest as well. "So they probably brought two hundred."

"There are eighteen of us. If we surprise them, I we might be able to defeat them, but getting up that path is all but impossible, even more so doing so unseen. There are probably a dozen checkpoints along the way, and we could not really spread out either. If they attacked us, we would be trapped in their crossfire. That guy heading the operation is paranoid."

"Do we know who it is? The amount of resources he is committing is astonishing in itself."

"There were a few, rare occasions when he himself showed his face. There are plenty of statues in the temples all around here, though, proclaiming his greatness. He calls himself Chronos, and announced himself and his followers to be Titans. Apparently, they liked the concept but did not wish to name themselves 'gods' once again."

Thundering Eagle frowned in thought. "I don't believe I am familiar with that name, so he is not a System Lord, which is strange, considering the wealth displayed in weaponry alone around here."

"I am familiar with him from years back. He was originally one of Ra's underlings, but eventually managed to gain his freedom for services well done. He since established himself as a powerful, if cruel, ruler and has gained a fairly large territory. If I were to guess, the prestige of returning to Earth, and the number of slaves he exported, have since elevated to the status of System Lord."

"How many slaves are we talking about here, exactly?" Ra'tep asked from the crowd.

"We can not be sure as to the exact numbers. As the stronghold here grew, he required more workers and quit shipping them away. Instead, one of his cargo ships leaves daily to acquire humans from around the globe. Judging from the size of the vessel and the number of people they herded in at the beginning, I'd say we are looking at about fifty humans a day for the past two hundred years."

"Three and a half million people, " Thundering Eagle muttered under his breath. "It's no wonder he managed to elevate his position. How do they get off world?"

"We have a theory, but nothing more. All ships they brought seem round and fairly slim, although relatively long. Since we know flying even to Abydos takes weeks, and the ship is back within the day, we suspect they are navigating through a gate somewhere close."

Thundering Eagle shook his head. "I checked on the gate while waiting. It is still buried exactly where we left it."

"Ra might have brought a second emergency gate, or maybe they brought a new one with them or found one on another planet or in a nearby system. The possibilities are endless and we really don't have the time to explore them all."

"So removing their supply routes is difficult at best. What can we do? What do we do?"

Graceful Cobra sighed and looked around wearily, regarding the eager faces observing him. All of them wanted to get rid of the Goa'uld, especially now that they knew how many people had lost their homes and families. Seeing no help forthcoming from his companions, he proclaimed the bad news himself.

"There is no easy quick fix this time. At least, we don't see one. We can not simply waltz in there and attack. We found no secret entrances to the palace, and while there are a few ring transporters to enable the Jaffa to move quickly, they are rigged to only accept incoming transports. We do not have a large army ready to draw the fire of the Jaffa and even if we did, they would be slaughtered on this path up there, even more so then they were at Ra's temple. We have no ally in there to inform us about enemy movements or their level of technology."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait patiently for the right moment to strike. Until then, we have to try to get into the palace, both to get more information and to possibly get behind enemy lines and execute a pincer move."

When a murmur spread through the assembled immortals, Thundering Eagle voiced the peoples thoughts. "I am almost afraid to ask. How do we do that? You sound like you have a plan."

"Now is where it gets tricky. Word of mouth says there has been a large flooding north of here, around Mount Olympus. We are survivors of the water and looking for a place to stay and to form a new life. Every year or so, one of the Goa'uld will come down and look for new slaves to serve in the palace. We have to establish ourselves as hard workers and obedient servants. Additionally, we have to appear inconspicuous. Therefore, it is imperative that we do not appear to be too closely linked. I recommend we appear in small groups over the next few weeks, and settle down in the area. If anybody asks why you chose here, spin a tale about the protection of the gods and the few people competing for the land. Ever since Chronos took the people, the landscape around here has been almost barren.

Oh, and don't forget, we will need new, Greek names as well, if we are to blend in."

.

Zeus, he was careful not to even think of himself as Thundering Eagle anymore, skillfully kept his shudder inward as he watched the Jaffa herd the people like cattle. For over ten years, the immortals had lived in the villages surrounding the mountain forest, and had, as a group, quickly made a name of themselves as hard, dedicated workers generally known as 'Olympians'.

So far, though, the Goa'uld had been weary of the strange newcomers and had avoided picking them for palace duty. For a long time, it did not really help their plan that the humans mistrusted them as well, mostly because non of the immortals seemed to wanted to settle down and start a family with the native inhabitants, and non of the immortal couples had children. Luckily, just in time to dispel all doubts, four years after arriving in their small village, Hades and Persephone, formerly Graceful Cobra and Kore, had been blessed. As the second immortal couple, they had a son, Charon. So far, he had shown some first signs of using his powers, causing all the immortals to take great care in hiding him from the Goa'uld.

Herakles too eventually decided to settle down. Being relatively young, the immortal had fallen in love with a local maid, and had pursued her steadily. In private, when Zeus had confronted him together with Poseidon, the younger man's former mentor, he confided in both his elders that he was well aware the marriage was ill-fitted and would not last, but could not help but follow his heart.

Poseidon, who had given up on his own fiancée when he found out about his fate to shelter her from his new life, could relate easily, as could Zeus, after many thousand years of marriage and another millenia mourning the loss of his love. Herakles' daughter of three years, too, showed signs of being extraordinary already, although using her powers seemed to tire her out more quickly then what Zeus remembered from his own son or Charon.

After a decade waiting, though, it appeared the Goa'uld had accepted the new villagers.

Roughly, a Jaffa grabbed Zeus and lifted him to his feet, before pushing him out of the group.

About fifty new workers joined the palace work crew that day, and half a dozen of them were Olympians. Thankfully, non of the members of the two young families were taken.

Apparently, waiting ten years was considered long enough for people who had a live expectancy of only about forty and who were already pushing thirty or thirty five. The time invested for a possible deception had become too high - or would have been, had the Olympians been mortal.

.

"By Chronos. It's truly a palace worthy of the titans." Zeus was well aware that a Goa'uld had chosen to accompany every single one of the Olympians as they made their way past the various check-points and up the hill. Apparently, contrary to Ra's underlings, paranoia was a common concept amongst Chronos' ranks, even after two hundred years of peace.

Even though the fortress they were currently approaching was impressive, the fact that Zeus and the other immortals had spent the last years scouting it and observing all movement around it meant it did little to impress him. The Goa'uld walking behind him, on the other hand, would probably appreciate his comments and dutifully report his awe to his superiors. As the first of six, it fell to Zeus to make sure everything went smoothly.

Stepping past the last checkpoint and the heavy steel gate securing it, Zeus started to become truly focused and attentive. So far, simple stone walls had prevented the immortals from ever seeing the courtyard he was now standing in, and the protective abilities it offered.

Besides from two Jaffa guards, the court was empty. A second, equally heavy gate could be closed to create a dead zone between which any attackers would be trapped and easy prey to the Jaffa. Several more heavy staff canon emplacements glimpsing over the second wall provided the necessary firepower for such a strategy, while similar emplacements on the first wall could provide deadly support to the Jaffa guarding the hill.

Zeus and his group were led to a small side door, though, where another Goa'uld was waiting for them in a small room, bare except for a display and a platform.

Zeus had to force himself not to let out a sign of relief as he saw the scanning device. The security measures to confirm their identity were, of course, unknown when they planned this mission and the immortals in the end decided to simply risk it. Had the device before him been anything different, Zeus would have had to improvise, especially since they still had no idea where their strange powers actually came from.

In this case, though, luck proved to be on their side. The device with in the room seemed to be one of the Goa'uld's standard scanners, and roughly the same one as the device the immortals and Egeria used in Shank'anon to try and figure out their own secrets.

Back then, even after years of study, they had been unable to find any indication that those with power were any different then those without it.

Still, Zeus had to fight down the urge to reach for his powers when the golden dome the device created surrounded him as he stepped onto the platform. For several moment, he could see the Goa'uld, a scientist, he presumed, typing away on some kind of keyboard before he finally gave a nod to his partner and the light shut down once more. Waiting for permission, the immortal stepped off the platform and, through the courtyard, finally into the inner sanctuary.

"_I'm in. No problems, keep calm."_ A simple message left Zeus mind to reassure his friends behind him as they were preparing to follow him. Immediately, Hades sent back the mental equivalent of a pat on the back, congratulating his friend on his success and offering him silent support, at the same time.

Gold was the dominant colour within the complex. Contrary to the Egyptian temple, which was more or less constructed using Earth-born materials and primitive human slaves, the highly advanced technology of the Goa'uld dominated these rooms. While metalwork had since been understood and mastered by the humans of Earth, the amount of Gold visible was such that Zeus doubted human technology could have mined, refined and crafted it all, even in two hundred years. If that was not enough, the automatically opening doors, the artificial lights, and the ring transporters were a dead give-away that something alien inhabited these chambers.

Zeus desperately tried to keep track as the Goa'uld led him and the three men in his group through the long, dark hallways. With one corridor looking like the next, though, it quickly proved to be impossible, for now, at least.

After using a ring transporter to get down, or maybe up or sideways, there seemed to be no way to tell, and a few more steps, Zeus finally found himself at the destination of their journey and a place he could understand unconditionally. He suspected his human companions felt equally if not even more relieved when they finally stepped into the large kitchen area.

Dozens of slaves, mostly female, bustled through the room, checking on various pots and fires, stirring and turning the food everywhere, always hurrying around to meet their quota and provide for the palace's various inhabitants. One corner, though, clearly marked off, was heavily overstaffed. Inside the ropes, ten women, all of them older and therefore probably more experienced, attended to just as many pots, carefully adding spices and checking the temperature of the fire and in one case even Goa'uld electrical heater.

Clearly, Zeus had found Chronos' personal staff, and his private kitchen.

"This way." Roughly, the Jaffa guard stationed in the kitchen grabbed the spy from behind and brought him out of his musings, shoving him forward and after their Goa'uld guide. In the back of the room, next to a stairwell leading downwards, the male host stopped and, for the first time, spoke, his eyes flashing briefly and his voice distorted.

"You have been given the honour to serve your god, Chronos, greatest of the Titans. From now on, until you are told otherwise, you will work in the kitchen. Down there are your quarters, as well as the food depots. You will go down there and bring up whatever the cooks need to fullfil their duty. Chronos' personal cooks are to be attended first. If you serve well, you will be given a meal at the end of each day. You will not leave your work-area unless you are told to. You will not go to sleep until you are told to. You will not take any food but what you are given. You are not to speak any more then necessary. Are there any questions?"

Clearly, the Goa'uld was one of the lowest Chronos had available if he was forced to delegate the servants, or maybe he simply did not wish to spent any more time with those he considered inferior. When the men remained silent, his eyes flashed golden once again.

"I said, are there any questions."

"No." All four men murmured immediately. Clearly, thats what the alien had been waiting for. Immediately, the crystal on his hand device flashed golden, and the man in the centre screamed in pain as the golden beam hit his head.

"You will address me as 'My Lord', the Jaffa as 'Sir', and Chronos as 'Your Greatness'. Is that clear."

After a moment, all four men mumbled once again.

"Yes, My Lord."

The next men screamed in pain as the beam hit his head, before collapsing to his knees.

"You will not hesitate. If you are asked, you are to answer. You will not murmur. I already have to deal with your incompetence, I can not be bothered to make out your incoherent mumbling."

"Yes, My Lord." This time, the men spoke clearly, although they kept their eyes firmly on their leader's feet.

The host nodded once before turning on his spot and walking out the kitchen.

Zeus closed his eyes in frustration for a moment, anticipating a long and difficult time in the fortress, before broadening his mind, contacting the other five immortals now on the mountain.

"_Be careful, friends, they have gotten worse. Be sure to be as submissive as possible."_

There really was no sense in having them endure the pain when he could prevent it this easily.

A gentle hand on his shoulder jerked Zeus' attention back into the kitchen. An elder woman with a kind smile and long, grey hair mustered Zeus critically, before nodding. Apparently, he had passed whatever test she had for him.

"Come, friend, I will take you to your quatres. You will need your sleep for tomorrow."

She would be right.


	11. 11 Infiltration

**10 Infiltration**

Zeus cracked his back as he finally sat the heavy barrel down. For the past four years, he had been living within the fortress, isolated from all but three dozen other humans, moving heavy wine barrels and groceries for the kitchen staff.

While no more immortals were chosen for palace duty the next year, five more, including their youngest, had been brought up to serve on the mountain since. Luckily, both Hades and Herakles were decided to be unfit for duty due to their family connection. Zeus highly doubted it was due to compassion from the Goa'uld, but more due to their need to breed new slaves, and the risk of open rebellion should they take parents from their young children. Neither father really complained, though, as it gave them a chance to see their children grow up.

Although both Hestia and Dionysos had since joined Zeus in the kitchens, working as a cook and sommelier, they were just as isolated as Zeus. Since non of the humans could be trusted not to betray them, the amount of information the three had been able to provide was limited. Through liberal use of their mental connection, though, they had at least some idea of what was going on.

"_Zeus. Can you here me?"_ After so many years together, it was easy for the immortal to recognize the touch of Hades' mind, and to connect with him. Since their arrival, the immortals had developed a fairly good system of communication. Hades, who was still living in the village with his family and not under constant observation, served as a hub and filter, delegating all relevant information to the others.

Feeling the unsettlement in his friends head, Zeus ignored all normal pleasantries.

"_What is happening?"_

"_Hephaistos and Aphrodite have been chosen and should be arriving at the palace at any moment."_

"_That seems good news."_ Zeus wondered.

"_It is. The problem is my family. We were officially declared unfit to serve within the palace. Instead, we are to be shipped away, probably off-world, to 'serve the great Chronos in far away lands'."_

Zeus closed his eyes in frustration. After all these years, the Goa'uld had changed tactics once again.

"_That's not good. I had hoped they would continue to spare their immediate surroundings. Do you have any suggestions?"_

"_The number of people here is increasing once again. Either they don't want that, or they have bled their other hunting grounds dry. We really don't want to go, but no idea, not really."_

"_Yeah. Let's keep the 'going quietly' the last resort."_

"_So, what do we do?"_ Mentally, the worry in Hades was even easier for Zeus to register then it would have been vocally.

"_Do you think you could try and use this opportunity to find out where the gate is located? It would be best if we could seal it so other Goa'uld can not try the same."_

"_I'll try. We should be able to find it."_

Now, it was Zeus' turn to worry. _"Do not allow them to take you further away then we can communicate. Otherwise, we won't be able to coordinate our attacks."_

"_Don't worry, friend. I understand. We'll come back."_

Zeus closed his eyes, sending a silent prayer to the ancestors.

"_Very well then. Inform us the moment you make your move, so we can catch them unaware here as well."_

Once again, Zeus closed his eyes, this time to unfocus his mind and broaden his reach.

"_Everybody, get ready. It's going to happen soon."_

.

Once he was sure his wife and son were well taken care off, Hades observed carefully as the Jaffa pilot prepared their craft for takeoff. The small cargo ship they had been herded into seemed much too small for the fifty or so humans in it, and Hades actually found himself envying the Jaffa guards and the pilot in their spacy cockpit behind a dialling device like contraption. At least, he had managed to secure a seat on one of the two benches along the sides of the shuttle, almost at the front of the cabin for his wife and son while he stood guard before them. On the other side, he could see Herakles in a similar position, although he seemed to be more worried about his young daughter and his human wife. Hades, at least, knew they would be able to take care of themselves.

The pilot did not seem to be overly concerned with security, or maybe he simply did not think anybody would be able to read the screen in front of him. Fortunately for Hades, though, Egeria had long ago thaught them to read and write the Goa'uld symbols, and use their technology.

As the craft lifted off the ground, the cabin pressed uncomfortably full, Hades was disappointed to see the pilot steering manually without engaging an autopilot.

"_Zeus, we are on the move. What is your status? Judging by our speed, you have another ten minutes at the most."_

"_Everybody is informed, but the more time you can buy us to get into position the better. When you have to, do not hesitate to act, though."_

"_Understood."_

Catching first the eye of his wife, then that of Herakles, lifted his thumb up. Everything is all right.

Immediately, both gave a nod before continuing to take care of the kids and to try and calm the panicking humans on board with them, all the while careful not to attract the attention of the Jaffa up front.

As the minutes passed, Hades finally touched the man in front of him, the only one between him and the Jaffa, on the back. Once he had his attention, he gently grabbed his shoulders and spun both their bodies on the spot, bringing himself in position next to the cockpit. A few steps away, he could see Herakles giving him a nod and squaring his own back in preparation after kissing his wife and squeezing his little girl one last time.

Of course, a slave voluntarily approaching the cockpit was impossible for the highly trained Jaffa to dismiss, and one immediately stepped towards the small entranceway to the cargo bay.

"Hey. What do you think you are doing?"

Checking his link with Zeus, and finding it weak, but still strong enough, Hades decided to stall for a moment longer.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It is just all so fascinating, you know. The great power of the gods, and their amazing chariots. You must be so powerful as well, to be able to steer them."

While impressed rambling was not unappreciated with a Goa'uld, the Jaffa were a fairly quiet warrior people, and did not appreciate the commotion. As a result, the guard took another step forward and raised his arm, intending on hitting the strange, outspoken human.

"_Zeus. Go!"_

"Shut ..."

He never got further. Seeing his chance, Hades shot forward and quickly grabbed for the Jaffa's outstretched, lifted right arm. Grabbing the warrior's wrist, he gave it a sharp tuck, unbalancing the experienced warrior, before, with a quick burst of his power, burying a white blade in the man's prim'ta pouch. Immediately, the larger body crashed into his own heavily, causing the immortal to let out a heavy breath and bend his knees before he managed to shrug the damned of his shoulders.

As the large warrior slowly crumbled to the floor, panic began to spread through the humans in the back. All of them had experienced the cruelty Chronos used on those that defied him and no one wished to be associated with him. Additionally, the large body on the floor, slowly bleeding to death in pained, weak gurgles was a gruesome sight.

Hades had no time to consider the other humans, though, and trusted his wife and Herakles to take care of them. The second guard, seeing his comrade go down that quickly, chose to keep his distance and fired his zat'ni'katel, the space to small to efficiently handle a staff.

With the short distance giving him no time to dodge, and the humans behind him as the victims if he did, Hades was forced to rely on his shield to divert the blue beam of energy. Within moments, though, he had then crossed the distance to the startled Jaffa and thrust his right knee forward.

The guard twisted slightly and brought his own leg up to block the trust, before countering with a jab of his left arm, burying his own hand in Hades' stomach.

Although the immortal was used to pain, and had his abilities to aid with any damage done, the genetically perfected strength of his adversary still left him doubled over. While the Jaffa brought his weapon up, though, to deliver a finishing blow, Herakles proofed to be attentive.

A jet of white light streaked past Hades head just as his eyes focused on the energy weapon's nozzle in his face, and struck the astonished warrior's chest, easily sweeping the heavy warrior of his feet and crushing his chest in.

Giving a nod in thanks to his friend, Hades stepped over the body of the second guard, slipping a blade through his neck in the process, just to make sure, before approaching the still sitting pilot.

As Hades stepped closer, alert for any weapon the last Jaffa might be carrying, he noticed the man frantically whispering.

"I repeat. This is slave-transport. We are under attack. The humans are rebelling. The Jaffa guard is dead. I need help!"

Hades did not hesitate to pull the heavy man from the controls and onto the ground, before planting a knee on his chest.

"Where is the Chappa'ai you are using?"

Seeing the man simply sneering at him, and the craft slowly spinning out of control without guidance, Hades motioned for Herakles to take his place and secure their prisoner, while he took the controls and quickly brought the craft under control and his wife attempted to calm the frightened humans.

Touching down, Hades opened the rear hatch and was unsurprised to see the humans running frantically, glancing back at the craft and him in particular fearfully. He had, after all, just murdered two man, servants of a god, in front of their eyes. The fact that he was fighting a war older then their civilization was, for their own safety, was unknown and unimportant.

Joining Herakles and his wife in the centre of the craft, where the Jaffa still struggled to get free, he roughly grabbed the man's head and twisted it roughly, forcing the man to look at him, before bringing his own knee down on the man's chest again.

"Go attent to your family, Herakles. Your wife looks like she needs your assurance right now."

Indeed, Herakles could see his wife, who had, to her credit, not fled with the other humans, grasping her daughter, and glancing in their direction half fearful, half amazed.

Nodding, the relatively young man got up and slowly approached his family while Persephone did the same to her son, who at least knew some of what was going on, and Hades interrogated their prisoner further.

"Listen. We really do not have the time or patience to deal with you right now. Chronos is not a god. He is a small snake, that relies on the strength of humans and Jaffa alike to maintain his powers. So is Ra, Apophis, and all the other gods you might know. Help us and you can live here on Earth, in peace and freedom. With your strength, you can make a good life here."

The Jaffa spat, intending to strike his capturers face. "Sholva! Chronos will kill you and your family for your betrayal."

"We really don't have time for this, husband. The others might need us." Persephone had easily succeeded in sufficiently calming their son and had stepped up to her husband, looking down at the captured Jaffa.

Hades nodded up at her, before fixing the warrior with a hard look. "Last chance. Choose wisely."

"I will enjoy watching as Chronos slowly breaks you."

"No, you won't." Herakles and Persephone, knowing what had to happen, turned to their kids and covered their eyes. There was no need for them to see this. Almost regretful, Hades brought his fist down and, at the last moment, allowed his blade to shimmer into existence. The immortal easily cut through his prisoners neck, severing his nerves and blood vessels before dumping the body out of the ships hatch, not paying any mind to the people watching him.

Sitting down in the control chair once again, he reengaged the engines and aimed the ship north, back to where they came from.

.

Hebe waited impatiently on the front steps of her little tavern for Eileithyia to finally show up. Minutes ago, Zeus had given them command to get into position and had warned them that the fight would be happening soon.

With Hades, Persephone and Herakles all taken away, the two immortals were the last to remain in the village and would have to try and make their own way uphill. Hopefully, with their fewer numbers, they would be harder to hit, and their comrades would eventually manage to clear the way for them.

"Sorry. A tricky birth I wanted to get done. I did not think the few moments would make a difference."

Side by side, the two women sprinted through the village, easily holding a speed most others, especially females at that time, could only dream of. At the foot of the hill, just within the last few houses, they finally, in perfect synchronization, stopped.

"Damn. I had hoped they would have pulled some of the guards back up to the palace by now."

"We'll just have to do this sneaky, then, or, maybe even violently." Eileithyia winked at her companion.

With hurried steps, the young woman left the last houses behind and approached the guards at the first checkpoint.

"Halt!" Well, at least, they had not shot her yet.

"I and my assistant have been summoned to the fortress. There seems to be a birth they want my help with."

The Jaffa seemed sceptical.

"Without a guide, you can not pass." Eileithyia seemed to have expected that. "My guide told me to go ahead while he did something else for His Greatness in the village. I am to hurry ahead."

"Even if that were true, you may not pass. Besides, the gods would not need the help of a human."

Seeing both guards in close proximity, Hebe lunged forward and buried her fists in both their stomaches, before spinning and beheading both lunged over men with a single sweep.

Seeing her companion's bewildered expression, she rolled her eyes. "Don't be naive. You know they are frantically loyal, and we do not have time for this. Nor can we leave them behind here, where the refugees are going to come through."

With practised ease, the immortal pried open the hip pouches carrying the Jaffa's zat'ni'katels and threw one to Eileithyia before hiding her own within her tunica.

Nodding, Eileithyia accepted the weapon and, after hiding it, set up the path, hoping against hope that they had been quiet enough not to alert the other guards.

.

Ignoring the alarm blaring through the complex, Poseidon came out of a hard sprint, neatly tackling into the first guard running up the stairs to reinforce the outer wall. Without slowing down, the immortal twisted to send the Jaffa down the flight, landing head first on the hard stone of the inner courtyard.

Three more Jaffa, alerted by the dull thud of their companion falling, swirled around, their staffs held high and already charging. When the yellow plasma spit forth, Poseidon was forced to duck down, holding a shield ready to absorb them.

Seeing the strange shield, more and more of the dozen Jaffa manning the wall, moved from their spot to break it down. Thanks to the short distance and the heavy canons on the walls, their shots managed to hold the superior fighter at bay.

One flight down, Demeter relieved the dead Jaffa of his staff before looking up to see her partner pinned down. Taking aim, she flicked her thumb over the trigger, spraying the defenders flanks with yellow fire.

Taken by surprise, four Jaffa fell immediately, sprouting large burn marks on their chest and abdomen, while the others ducked down to avoid getting hit.

"Poseidon!" Catching the thrown zat'ni'katel one handed, the no longer pinned immortal kicked off the ground hard and almost flew up the last flight of stairs and around the bent the Jaffa were hiding behind.

While the yellow plasma splattered harmlessly against Poseidon's shield, blue streaks of light rapidly left his gun and efficiently downed the cowering opponents. Tapping into his powers once more, Poseidon raised both hands and allowed lightning to streak across the wall top.

"Let's go."

Taking aim with the large cannons now at their disposal, the two immortals quickly began to rain yellow plasma down into the courtyard, spreading first confusion, then panic and death through the Jaffa guarding the outer gate and the fortress' first line of defense.

.

Hephaistos desperately tried to remember which corridor they had come through when Aphrodite passed him, walking quickly and surly.

"Come on, will you."

"Ladies first, you know. Just trying to be polite."

"As if." Laughing, his partner left Hephaistos to trot behind, slowly making his way through a seemingly endless maze of corridors, ring transporters and rooms.

Coming to a stop in the shadow of their destination, the large iron gate securing the inner courtyard from outside enemies, the man bowed deeply to his partner.

"Well then, oh wise and beautiful one, what are we waiting for now?"

"For us." Unheard, Artemis had approached the couple from behind and was lazily leaning against the gate, while Apollon peered into the outer courtyard.

Seeing the Jaffa slowly starting to reorganize themselves and to fire back up at Poseidon, Demeter and their heavy cannon, Apollon turned to his companions.

"Well, I don't think we are going to get much better. Might as well get started."

As the others got into position around the gate, Artemis to Apollon at the front and Hephaistos and Aphrodite in the back, the leading immortal held up five fingers.

"Remember the plan. Leave the courtyard to us."

Counting down slowly and silently, all four immortals stilled in anticipation.

On zero, Apollon and Artemis bust through the gate, their shields physically pushing the first row of startled Jaffa back. Ducking low, Artemis went further forward, engaging another dozen Jaffa simultaneously, while her partner took care of the first group.

As the duo fought, a gap slowly but surly opened up between the groups. Immediately, Hephaistos and Aphrodite dashed forward, liberally lashing out with their powers to clean a way or to help their friends.

A few more shields and energy blasts later, the second pair had fought their way to the secondary stairs leading up to the cannon emplacements on the main wall.

On the inner wall, Poseidon swirled his cannon around and opened fire at the outer wall, careful not to hit his own friends. In the large fray on the inner courtyard, the risks of friendly fire were too high, while the emplacements on the outer wall posed too great a risk for his advancing friends.

Forced to duck under the fire, the Jaffa had to watch helplessly as their dangerous foes made their way up the last flight of stairs.

Although Poseidon's shots had ceased, the Jaffa were helplessly outclassed. After the rebellion of Egypt two thousand years before, the immortals had fought against and beaten countless Jaffa, gaining a lot of experience in the process. Now, the traditional forms of fighting, the steps and blocks every Jaffa learnt even before his first prim'ta, are almost useless against the first Tok'ra, especially in the one on one or two on two fights on the narrow walkway. Quickly and efficiently, the pair made their way through the top wall, cleaning the last few canons on their way out of the palace from Jaffa.

Demeter watched in horror as more and more Jaffa streamed from the main complex and started to flood the outer courtyard. Over half of what Chronos had brought with him had to be assembled at her feet, restlessly attacking her comrades.

"_Everybody. We are taking a lot of fire in the courtyard. A bit of help would be appreciated."_

Before she had time to register any replies to her mental enquire, she watched in horror as the Jaffa began to converge on Artemis, slowly overwhelming the young woman's concentration with constant fire from all angles. With as much shots as she was taking, it was a small miracle and a large credit to the woman's focus that she was, so far, unharmed, snapping new shields up in all directions constantly.

Knowing that her heavy canon would simply make the situation worse, Demeter reached for her zat'ni'katel.

"Poseidon. Hold the wall. They need help."

Without hesitation, the immortal woman pushed off the ground and flipped her legs over the hip-high wall covering the canons from potential enemy fire, before drifting over the courtyard.

Poseidon watched in shock as his partner started to free-fall, shooting her zat'ni'katel constantly. He had to admit, her coordination was superb – judging by her trajectory, she would be landing close to Artemis. Well, impacting would probably be the better word. At close to 20 meters in hight, the inner wall towered over the courtyard and it's seven meter high outer cousin and was way to high to safely fall to death from.

Just before impact, Demeter tapped into her powers. The story about how Thundering Eagle had gained his name was often told during the first few thousand years of their time in Shank'anon, and therefore well known amongst the older Goa'uld. His cliff, though, apparently was a few meters smaller, his ground was soft and full with plants to break his fall, and there had only been a single, weak enemy at the ground. Her own jump might just have been a bad idea.

Reaching into her powers, well aware that she would need them soon, Demeter desperately tried to come of with an idea to break her momentum. The ground was approaching quickly, hard, solid stone, unfortunately, when the immortal had the crucial thought.

A ball of energy immediately left Demeter's hands, impacting on the ground between a large group of Jaffa. As all of them started flying, Lady Luck sent one of them towards where Demeter was heading.

With a loud ouff, the immortal impacted the body on the ground, heavily denting the armour and probably crushing a few ribs. With a shield already in place around her, Demeter took a moment to regain her breath, alow her own bones to knit back into place and thank the ancestors above, before she rolled to her feet and blasted another group of Jaffa nearby, taking some heat of Artemis, before taking position at the other woman's back.

"You are insane." Despite her accusation, Demeter could hear the grin, the exhaustion and most of all the relieve in the young woman's voice.

"Takes one to know one."

"_Where is that backup? We are still pinned down and really need to start clearing the path up for Hebe and Eileithyia if we want to evacuate any time soon."_

As if commanded, a large shadow lowered itself above the courtyard. Standing on the rear hatch of the slow flying craft, Herakles and Persephone lightly jumped out of the ship, copying Demeter's own manoeuver from moments before. For them, though, with the ship flying low and the outer wall as destination, the fall was relatively easy. Landing, both immortals turned and, in perfect synchronization, jumped again, landing at the base of the outer wall, ready to do battle.

Although the Jaffa reacted instantly to the new threat, the number of immortals now fighting in the courtyard and the number of Jaffa already dead, either from the cannons, or the close combat on the stairs to either wall, meant their resistance crumbled quickly in the quadruple-front combat.

"Thank you, you two. Head down the path and secure for the former slaves to return home and in case we need to retreat. Poseidon and I will go back in to clean up and in case the others need help. Once you are done, take care of the refugees we are sending your way."

.

When he finally heard Hades' command, Zeus was ready, standing as close to the single Jaffa guard as he dared to be without being too obvious or appearing unoccupied. A quick twist of his arms, a small curl of his fingers, and lightning streaked through the room and fried the warrior.

Panic spread through the slaves as they saw the large body twitch and heard the man scream in pain for a few moments, before his brain shut off. Immediately, dozens of people ran for the various exits, leaving the room to get away from the man they had served with for many years, and who had now dared to defy the Titans.

"Damn, too weak." Zeus murmured as he watched his target suffer. Then, aloud, he shouted to his companions, " Hestia, Dionysos, get these people out of here. And calm them down."

"_Athene, meet me at Chronos' quarters. Do not engage them alone."_

Zeus barely acknowledged the confirmation of the other three as he took of. On many occasions, he had seen slaves leaving the kitchen to bring the god his food, and they always left through the same entrance. As a result, this was the only exit nobody dared to flee through, least they anger their god even more.

Within moments, the immortal had reached a ring transporter with another Jaffa standing guard. Just as the man opened his mouth, clearly intending to shout a question to the running slave, a loud, obnoxious alarm blared through the building.

Neither man hesitated to react. While the Jaffa had to aim his weapon first, though, and lost valuable seconds doing so, Zeus' abilities reacted with the speed of his thoughts, and targeted the guard with almost no delay.

Once again, lightning burst from the immortals hands and crossed the remaining few steps. Once again, the large body of a Jaffa twitched as the mighty warrior died. This time, though, Zeus had taken care to make the bolt strong enough to kill the poor soul instantly. The Jaffa were, after all, not the real enemy.

Seeing the corridor come to a dead end, Zeus went to inspect the ring transporter. Obviously, it was used to connect the kitchen to the Goa'uld's quarters, and obviously, it would not be used for anything else. Carefully inspecting the various buttons on the control board, the immortal found several of them to be covered in dust, while others were worn and, in some cases, even abused.

"_Athene, where are you?"_

The almost three thousand years younger immortal had been serving Chronos as a maid, cleaning the various rooms of many of the minor Goa'uld for many years. As a result, she had found out most about the layout of the complex, and the plans of its inhabitants.

"_One minute. I'm almost there."_

After hitting the correct sequence of buttons, Zeus stepped onto the transporter and crouched low, holding the zat'ni'katel he had liberated from the Jaffa guard at his hip.

"_I'm going in. Whenever you are ready."_

Four light silver rings hovered up from the ground and surrounded Zeus, before a white beam of light carried him away.

Rematerializing on a platform Zeus lashed out with his powers and squeezed the trigger of the uncoiled weapon in his hand, basking the room he had arrived in in blue and white light before he or the occupants had a chance to react properly.

The four Jaffa of Chronos' personal guard, his most elite and loyal warriors, assigned to the ring transporter, were on high alert ever since the alarm had started blaring through the fortress. With their staffs at the ready and spaced with a thirty degree angle between them, they covered the platform from all directions without the risk of friendly fire, their bodies forming a wall of flesh between the transporter and their charge.

They were large, strong men, though, and as a result just a bit too large. When the ring platform activated, they immediately fired, since protocol dictated that in case of alarms, nobody was allowed to ring straight into their Lord's personal space. Their hips, though, were higher then Zeus' head and, as a result, their shots went wide.

The two centre guards suddenly found themselves facing the ceiling as their nervous systems overloaded from their enemies weapons. Simultaneously, their two partners reaimed their weapons and fired again, finally forcing the intruder to defend.

Zeus dropped his zat'ni'katel as he rolled forward and in between the two remaining guards, using his second hand to form a second shield and absorb the shots coming from both directions as he stood up.

Stomping down hard, he heard the crunch and the silence that signalled his foot had connected with the neck of the Jaffa he had only stunned before. While he trusted his own powers to be immediately fatal when he wanted them to be, he knew the zat'ni'katel was not.

With a grin, Zeus threw himself backwards once more, out of the path of the two plasma bolts aiming to overload his shield. While neither Jaffa was stupid enough to actually aim for his partner, the confusion of suddenly facing an attack was enough for Zeus to attack again, lashing out with both hands and hitting the Jaffa in the sides.

After checking to make sure all four men were dead, Zeus peered through the entranceway they had guarded and quickly jerked his head back as various hand devices discharged in his direction, causing the wall he was hiding behind to groan and splinter slightly.

"_What's your status?"_

"_I have passed the first set of guards and entered the outer office. So far, I have not encountered any worthy resistance. If that continues, I will enter the main room in a few moments."_

"_Be careful. I found most of the Goa'uld here."_

Once more, Zeus peered around the corner, and once more, multiple golden waves immediately forced him to jerk back.

"You are not welcome on Earth. Lay down your weapons, and we will alow you to return through the Chappa'ai." Zeus was well aware that the Goa'uld would never surrender, but he hoped that they would act as they had done in Egypt and allow their Lord to answer, thereby giving the immortal his position.

"Lord Chronos laughs. If you surrender now, you will be granted a quick death."

Well, it had been worth a try.

"All right. I'm coming out."

"_You ready?"_

"_I just wanted to go in." _Athene's rely was almost instantanious.

"_Hold on just a moment."_

Slowly, Zeus extended both hands out into the open of the entrance way, as if to proof he was unarmed.

"_Three seconds."_

Just before the door on the other side of the Goa'uld crashed open, Zeus allowed his hands to once again fill with lightning and sent various bolts flying through the room uncontrolled.

Simultaneously, Athena bust through the door, opening fire with zat'ni'katel she had acquired somewhere and her own powers, and Zeus finally stepped through the entranceway, calling in his powers. With a few flicks of his wrist, he sent energy balls hurling after the fleeing Goa'uld, and broke the last pockets of resistance.

In the back, Chronos did not stay to watch his underlings' defeat. Instead, he retreated through a second doorway, hidden by a holographic image of a solid wall, and into a fairly large hanger. Inside, his own bark stood ready, another four Jaffa standing guard at the rear hatch. A good dozen slaves rummaged around inside, hurrying to make the craft ready for their lord's flight.

"Hail the fighters. They are to clear us a way. We are leaving immediately."

The Jaffa manning the controls did not even blink at his Lord's command before engaging the engine and closing the rear hatch, giving the four guards barly enough time to follow their lord. Still, they took great care to keep their weapons outwards at all times.

"Yes, My Lord."

Zeus eyes swept across the room critically. Their plan had worked more perfectly then he had anticipated. Hitting the rooms from two sides at once ment the enemy was disorganized, and the Goa'uld proofed to be a lot more untrained then the Jaffa or those he had faced in Egypt. What had happened here had been more of a slaughter then anything else.

Still, something was not right.

"What am I missing here?"

Athene stepped closer to her elder, joining him in the centre of the room.

"What do you mean?"

Up until that point, Zeus had not even realized he had spoken out loud. Fixing the woman with a look, he indicated around the room.

"I don't know. It's just a feeling, really, that something is not right."

Athene nodded in understanding, before allowing her eyes to glide across the various faces laying lifelessly on the floor. Moments later, she gasped in shock.

"Chronos is missing! He is not here!"

Right then, the high pitched sound of the Goa'uld engines washed over the complex, as the experienced pilot jammed the powerful engine on Chronos' craft to full power to shoot out of the hidden hangar.

Reaching into his powers, Zeus thrust his hands forward. Twin beams of white light impacted the wall Chronos had fled through, and caused the stone to burst into pieces. Moments later, though, the immortal's attack was absorbed harmlessly by the orange-tinted shields covering the entire hangar.

"_Chronos is getting away. Do we have a craft? We need to pursue him, now!"_

Hades answered at once. _"I'm afraid I'm all we've got right now. I'm on my way, although I am still under heavy fire. There are a dozen fighters out here at least."_

.

Hades cursed internally as he forced his ship into yet another manouevre. Once he had delivered his wife and Herakles to reenforce the team securing the courtyard, he had been swarmed by the six surprisingly agile fighters and their heavy weapons. With the two children and Herakles' wife on board, the immortal worked hard to make sure the ship stayed airborn and out of the way of the bolts of plasma the Jaffa pilots gave out eagerly.

"Hold on back there."

Forcing the nose of the craft straight down, Hades hoped desperately that he was right about his estimations on the inertial dampening system. Otherwise, they would soon all be small scrapes of meat scattered around the large fields in the shadow of the fortress.

Pulling out of his dive, Hades felt the nose of his ship scratching along the ground, the craft itself shaking violently from the sudden force pushing back at it. Still, the immortal cheered silently as he watched one of the pilots misjudge the turn and plough into the ground, his ship, not made for physical collisions, immediately breaking into dozens of parts.

Seeing the other five gliders sling-shotting ahead of his position, Hades decelerated hard and once more lowered his craft.

"Get ready back their. I'm going to try touching down. The moment we are slow enough, I want you to jump of. Son, you are responsible for the two ladies. Bring them to the village, and don't let anything happen to them.

The moment you are out, run for those trees. Try not to be seen for now."

Hades knew he was asking a lot of his very young son, but with the power at his disposal, he would hopefully be able to protect the young girl he grew up with and her mother.

Seeing the fighters turn around, Hades gave the ship an extra tuck, allowing it's rear to drift slightly to the side, before finally reaching a dead centre.

"NOW!"

Charon jumped first, followed closely by Deianira, who was holding her daughter Macaria in her arms. Even as the three sprinted towards the small group of trees, desperate for some cover, Hades yanked the throttle forward again.

The transport craft was not made for rapid acceleration and the flight manoeuver the immortal coaxed out if it. As a result, the inertial dampening Systems finally gave out and Hades' head jerked backwards, smashing painfully against his seat.

The experienced infiltrator was well aware that he would not be able to evade the constant attacks by the fighters for much longer. Without the inertial dampening, he would, indeed, be hard pressed to even last one more , at least, he would be able to get to the palace to jump off as well, and join the others inside.

"_Chronos is getting away. Do we have a craft? We need to pursue him, now!"_

"_I'm afraid I'm all we've got. I'm on my way, although I am still under heavy fire. There are a dozen fighters out here at least."_

Following his friends description, as well as mentally backtracking the flightpath of the bark leaving the fortress and now slowly circling the mountain, Hades eventually slowed the craft down as much as he dared.

"_Here I am. Although I'm probably not going to make it much longer."_

For the third time that day, one of the immortals jumped. Kicking of the windowsill he was sitting on, Zeus soared through the air and towards the long craft his friend was flying towards him.

Landing in a roll, Zeus turned around and used one hand to dig into a slight gap between the roof and front panels.

"_Nice and slow, please. Otherwise, I'm going to fall of."_

"_Well, in that case, you better take care of those guys coming in from the left. And there are more launching right now."_

Raising his other Hand, Zeus extended it palm facing the approaching gliders. Just before the pilots thought themselves in a position to take out the slow, unarmed transport craft, a white ball of light formed on the flat of Zeus' hand and shot out with rapid speed.

Faster and faster, new balls of light shot out, until the whole sky between the fleet of attack crafts and the slow moving bark and its rider lit up with hundreds of white spheres. Moments later, the small orbs impacted their targets and smashed dozens of holes into the gliders and pilots, until the crafts exploded in bright, orange fireballs.

"_Whuhu. That was fun. Let's not try that again, soon, all right? Let's get finally get Chronos, though. What is he waiting for?"_

Hearing the exhaustion in his friends voice, Hades decided not to comment and instead turned his craft to intercept the bark slowly circling the mountain.

.

Hermes crept along the corridor, glancing backwards to check on his companions every once in a while. Despite being a lot younger then Hera, he had been given the lead for this part of their journey, since sneaking just seemed to be in his blood.

Even with the loud alarm blaring through the complex, Hera seemed to be unwilling to be found just yet. Their goal was to reach the fortress' hangar located at the top of the mountain, in a vertical stretch of stone unreachable from the outside and secure it. If they were found early, the likelihood that the Goa'uld stationed there would order the ships to leave, or use them to flee themselves, was high.

All of a sudden, dozens of hurried footsteps could be heard within the room, as a Goa'uld shouted commands above the noise.

"Man your crafts. First squadron, launch now. Second squadron, ready."

Hera grabbed both of her companion's arms, forcing them to look at her as she whispered hurriedly.

"Hades is somewhere out there, and so is Chronos. They are most likely escorts. If we want to get to him, we have to stop these guys."

Then, without another word, the woman left her two male partners behind and led the charge into the room, wildly lashing out with her powers.

Immediately after her, Ares sprinted inside, vaulting over first row of Jaffa and landing on top of one of the Goa'uld supervisors. Twisting the hosts neck up to the slight crunch, Ares lashed out once more.

The Jaffa assembled in the room were pilots getting ready for flying. As such, most of them were unarmed, or simply carried a small knife. Few had chosen to bring even a zat'ni'katel, allowing the immortals to forsaken their shielding and focus on the real fighting.

Still, all Jaffa were trained from birth to fight for their gods, and were artificially perfected to serve them. While two dozen of them, unarmed, were not an actual threat to the three immortals, they were able enough to successfully stall their attackers and allow six of their comrades to leave and serve their god.

"Secure!"

"Secure!"

Ares slowly strolled through the room, occasionally stomping on a neck whenever he suspected a Jaffa or a Goa'uld to still be alive. After a while, once he was satisfied with the situation, he, too, confirmed, "Secure!"

"Damn it!" Hera ranted. "Did anybody count how many got out?"

While Ares simply shrugged his shoulders, Hermes nodded slowly. "I counted six. We do, however, have gliders now, as well."

Hera inspected the crafts critically before turning towards her two companions.

"Ares, guard the hangar. We don't need any more Jaffa to launch ships. Hermes, pick a ship, let's try to help Hades and Zeus."

"_If anybody is looking for something to do, we've got enough ships, and could use a few more pilots."_

Scrambling up the ladder leading to the leading craft, Hera hopped in and placed her hands on the control crystal. Immediately, she could feel the generator humming underneath her, and the saw the control panels in front of her light up, basking the cockpit in a pale blue light.

"_Hermes, do not use the com system. Maybe, we might even be able to surprise the Jaffa."_

"_Understood."_

Twisting her hands slightly, Hera finally directed power to the ship's thrusters, and slowly navigated out of the hangar, Hermes right behind her, before engaging the main engines.

Slightly left of her, half a minute ahead, the other six fighters were on route to intercept their transport craft, while a steady stream of human slaves left the palace through the main gate.

"_That man is insane. Is Zeus riding that craft?"_

Hera had to bite back a laugh as she saw what Hermes had seen. Zeus was crouching on the very tip of Hades' ship, leaning forward slightly as if he was especially eager to get to their destination. The ship underneath him seemed to move steadily and relatively slowly, probably to make sure he would not be blown off.

Angeling her craft to the left slightly, Hera gave full throttle. Immediately, the ship jumped ahead and shot off towards the other fighters, intending to help Hades and Zeus.

.

"My Lord. Two more gliders have just left the palace. They do not transmit identification. Judging by the last accounts from the hangar, I presume them to be hostile."

Chronos inspected the crafts converging on them critically. While his own crafts would reach them first, thanks to the low speed of the other transporter, and the two gliders should not be a problem for his six experienced Jaffa pilots, Chronos had not forgotten the apparent ease with which the lone figure perched on top of one of his cargo ships had dispatched the first squadron. Mustering the man fearfully, and repressing a shudder at seeing the figure grin at him through the highly magnified view screen, the Goa'uld made his decision.

"Get us out of here."

"My Lord?" The pilot was clearly stunned to hear his Lord run.

"Release the gas in the compound. The pilots are to engage the other gliders and that cargo ship. Ra could not beat these guys with the combined forces of the System Lord at his command. A defeat with a mere two hundred man will be not be too much of a disgrace. We will return later to see if we managed to get them."

"Of course, my Lord."

As the Jaffa hurried to obey his god's command, Zeus watched the ship skeptically and immediately saw it turn from it's orbit around the complex. Lashing out with his powers, he was distraught to see his energy bolt go wide, missing the ship by many meters.

"_Hera, get Chronos. Hades and I will keep those gliders off your back."_

"_Are you sure you are up to it?" _Hades concerned voice echoed through Zeus' mind. _"That last squad took quiet a lot out of you."_

"_Hera! Go! I will be fine. Just come by close to us so we can take care of any tail you might acquire."_

Nodding to herself, as she had been just as concerned as Hades, Hera twisted her hands and sped after the fleeing freight ship, Hermes faithfully at her side. Breaking a bit, she allowed the first volley of plasma bolts to shoot past her would-be position, before speeding up once more and breaking hard to the left.

Before she had time fly another manoeuvre, the captured transport craft shot between her own ship and the one Hermes flew, and white light burst forth from Zeus' hands once again, scattering or outright destroying the enemy gliders.

"_Thanks."_

"_Get that bastard."_

With another twist of her fingers, Hera pushed her engines to maximum power once more and swooped after the cargo ship, now just a distant spot on the horizon.

.

Athene calmly marched through the deepest levels of the complex, not really expecting any resistance. While the storage rooms here were full with valuable goods and food supplies, non of the humans would dare to steal from the Titans, and all the Jaffa would have been recalled to defend their masters. That left the minor Goa'ulds, of course, who used the opportunity to enrich themselves, but most of those had been assembled in Chronos' quarters when she and Zeus had attacked, or had fallen in various smaller skirmishes already.

As a result, the relatively young immortal spent most of her time taking stock of the contents of the different rooms, and searching for any hidden passages and rooms that would lead her even further in.

Due to her position, though, she was the first one to notice her breathing getting heavier. Having never experienced so much as a cold since she had first tapped, four thousand years ago, heavy breathing without any duress was overly strange for the young woman.

As she slowly started getting groggy, the immortal suddenly had a terrible thought.

"_Gas! They released gas! Get the humans out of here."_

As she felt her companions acknowledge her message, Athene finally allowed herself to drift unconscious.

.

The ship shuddered underneath the Goa'uld's feet as yet another plasma bolt connected with its shield. Chronos had made sure his personal ship was as fast and as well protected as possible, but the size of the bark limited his possibilities. As a result, the two speedy gliders following him had finally entered weapon range somewhere over the sea separating him from the ice mass that held the second Chappa'ai.

"How long?"

The pilot seemed unfazed by his Lord's tense voice and answered easily, as he rolled his ship to the side to evade another shot.

"Just another minute, my Lord. We should be close enough to dial in half that time."

Chronos nodded, even though his underling did not see him.

"Inform me the moment we are."

Hera gritted her teeth in anger as she watched yet another shot splatter harmlessly against the enemies surprisingly strong energy shield. Not only was the ship a lot faster and more manoeuvrable then she had been led to believe, it was also equipped with shields that were a lot stronger then what they had anticipated.

Loosening another shot, the woman rolled her ship, careful not to disturb her partner's line of sight.

"_Hermes. Do you have any ideas."_

"_Nothing but keep firing."_

"_Smartass." _Despite her rather angry retort, Hera did just that, but was surprised when the craft suddenly angled downwards and began heading straight.

"_Hermes!"_

"_I see it." _Indeed, her partner had already corrected his own course and was following the ship towards the endless ice, or more specifically, a large hole within it.

With a start, Hera realized they had most likely reached the end of their destination, and began firing wildly, littering the area around the cave with hundreds of shots, hoping to collapse the entrance before her prey escaped her.

A blue flash lit up the ice, confirming Hera's suspicion, just as Chronos' ship cleared the icy surface. Moments later, the tunnel collapsed under Hera's onslaught, and sealed the ship and gate within it.

Hermes, though, running his engine at full speed in hopes of catching up with Chronos, was startled by the sudden change in environment. Unable to pull up in time, he just manged to angle back upwards slightly and break a bit of his speed before he hit the ice.

"_Hermes!"_

Seeing her partner go down, and knowing fully well that Chronos was gone, Hera had turned her ship around and landed a safe distance away from the crash site.

"Hermes!"

Just as the immortal was about to reach for the crashed and heavily dented craft, her mental and vocal call unanswered, a weak, pained voiced echoed in her mind.

"_I'm all right, I think. I'll get back to you on that."_

Relieved, the woman used a small energy blade to cut her partner out of his ship and manoeuvred him into the weapons seat of her own, before setting a course back for Greece.

'Oh boy. Zeus is not going to be happy he got away.' Was her last thought before she tended to her partners well being.

.

Once the last gliders were destroyed, Hades slowly and gently set his craft down on the foot of the mountain, just outside a small village where the other immortals had brought the refugees from the fortress.

The moment he touched the ground, Zeus sprang of the roof and rolled his shoulders in obvious relief, producing a loud crack as his shoulder joints snapped back into place that had those standing close wincing in it's intensity.

"Well, I admit, I had better ideas before."

Poseidon, who had walked over to join the other two, grinned at the comment.

"I admit, it worked pretty well, but you know you are insane, right?"

Hades, exiting the rear of the craft, nodded to his too companions.

"I said pretty much the same."

"I meant both of you, actually."

Zeus lost his playful grin and turned to give his friend his full attention.

"What's our status? I was a bit preoccupied to really listen in."

"We lost contact to Athene. Her warning gave us enough time to get those we had found already out, which is about three hundred survivors. We did not have enough time to search the palace, though, so we are estimating there are at least another few hundred hidden throughout the complex, who have suffocated in there.

Luckily, the gas was not a poison but simply used to displace the oxygen within the complex. Several key sections have been sealed to trap any attackers, but at that point, all of us had already been on the way out. Once it left the compound, the air diluted it enough to prevent any casualties within the compound itself."

Hades frowned at the explanation. "It seems strange the Goa'uld would be prepared to actually kill all their slaves. From what we know about them, they prefer a more hands on approach for massacres."

Poseidon nodded. "Which is why we don't think this was intended as a way to kill the humans. In Egypt, we have proven ourselves superior to any form of energy weapon the Goa'uld fielded against us. This gas was designed to specifically eliminate us. By sheer luck, we had already destroyed the closing mechanisms for the main gates to prevent the Jaffa from closing them. Otherwise, I'm guessing they would have closed automatically as well, and we would all have been trapped inside.

The plan was probably to take off, release the gas, and retake command of the facility immediately afterwards. Chronos expected an attack from the outside, so he had insufficient time to really get his plan into motion. Additionally, I don't think he expected us to follow him into the air, so he would have been safe to wait it out there."

Zeus nodded at the explanation.

"Makes sense. So pending the return of Hera and Hermes, we have lost only a single friend, temporarily probably, and have rescued over three hundred humans. Additionally, we have once again sent the Goa'uld running. I'd call that a victory."

Hades shook his head. "We have taken way too long. Almost four million humans have been taken off world. We have no idea how many more have been killed by the Jaffa during their raids for slaves. We might have won the final battle, but Chronos won the war."

This time, Zeus shook his head. "True, but the Goa'uld made a major mistake here. They committed countless resources to defeat us, and failed. The treaty stated we had to destroy all advanced technology left behind after the rebellion, but it did not say anything about that which they brought and gifted to us afterwards. They left us two dozen fighters, and two transporters, all of them equipped with powerful engines and, more importantly, a com system. From now on, we can fly and communicate once again. Next time, we will be a lot faster."

While Hades simply grinned, Poseidon fell to his knees playfully. "Thank you, ancestors."

The man had been the one of the immortals who decided to visit America and Australia, spending long years before building a ship sufficiently large, and manoeuvring it over the ocean.


	12. 12 Friends

**11 Friends**

_700 BC, Earth, Antarctica_

The heavily cloaked figure paid no mind to the ka-woosh of the Chappa'ai as it shut down behind her. Instead, the woman's eyes peered through the heavy goggles that hid her face from the biting cold, before finally settling on a small hole in the top of the ice cave she was standing in. Perfect, it was night still.

Chronos, that fool, had simply paid no mind to the geological conditions of Earth. During her studies, the woman had found the summers on Earth's southern most point to be quiet mild, relatively speaking. Mild enough, at least, to allow her to survive easily, especially with the healing powers her symbiote provided for her.

Setting her gloved hand on the sledge dutifully hovering behind her, carrying her equipment and her rations, the host finally dug her feet into the slippery ice and pushed herself up, climbing towards the surface.

With a small whine, the sledge rose up to hover next to its master.

Even through her heavy clothing, the traveller could feel the cold wind beating against her as she looked up to the stars.

"Of course," she thought bitterly as she estimated her position, "I am going to have to travel into the wind."

Finally, her eyes settled on a a small peak rising up from the otherwise flat surface. While the hill did appear to be snow, not solid ice, something was obviously keeping it there. Digging her fingers into the small accumulation, she was delighted to hit something solid within.

Uncovering the craft further, the alien was disappointed to see the harshly bend wings and the destroyed cockpit.

"Of course, they would not have left the craft behind if it was still usable."

Still, the woman quickly began digging through the craft with renewed vigour, hoping to find something that might be useful to her and shorten her journey a bit. Egypt was a long way away, and she would have to go even further.

.

_650 BC, Earth, Italy, Rome_

Hermes warningly dug his fingers into the arm of his young charge as she intended to jump forward. He could understand her well. A few thousand years ago, he would probably have behaved much the same. Now, though, he was older and wiser.

Iris looked back at her mentor confused. Twenty years ago, on a small mountain path over the alps, she had run into a avalanche to rescue a small boy who had been separated from his parents. She had heard the father desperate calling for his son, while the mother had sobbed hysterically and had not hesitated.

Unfortunately, or maybe, looking back, fortunately, a large branch that had been ripped off had hit her in the head moments after she had left her cave. The next thing she remembered, her whole body tingled as she was washed away by the avalanche. By sheer luck, the small boy she had set out to rescue had been floating close to her, miraculously almost unharmed, albeit unconscious.

By instinct, Iris had grabbed him and had pulled him close before digging her heals into the snow covered ground. She was well aware that she would have no chance to save the boy or herself, not against the power of an avalanche, but she felt she had to try at least.

Then, suddenly, the pressure on her back eased before ceasing completely as she came to a stop. Instead of the clear hill she had expected, obviously having passed the flow of destruction, a white barrier had held back the snow and protected both her and the boy.

As she laid in the snow, panting and praising the gods for saving her life, the young woman vowed to use her life to help others, starting with returning the boy to his parents.

When Hermes had found her a few days later, she had not hesitated to join him and to embrace that which he had to teach her. Although her mentor was one of the younger immortals, he had seen and done things she hardly imagined before. When he first showed her his - their powers, though, and then led her to his ship, she had been overwhelmed, of course, but more so determined to learn all she could to help the best she could.

Now though, her mentor held her back as she yearned to rush forward, the call of battle ringing through her blood.

"_Teacher! Only a Goa'uld can ..."_

Hermes rolled his eyes as he heard his charge call him 'teacher' once again. In the aftermath of the Goa'uld invasion, five, a surprisingly large number of immortals, had begun tapping, or reborn, as they called it now. His charge, Iris, was unusual since she gained her powers peacefully. Most others had died defending their home against the anarchy that ruled after the Goa'uld had left. Iris seemed to be most interested in learning, though, and her chosen name for him reflected that.

"_We do not know enough. There are only two of us, and you have never faced a Jaffa or a Goa'uld before. Do not be overconfident. Besides, this is a healing device. As far as I know, it can not be misused, and the boy might profit."_

In the past few decades, Rome had risen from a small village to a dominant power on the Italian peninsular. As a result, change and advancement, as well as poverty and misery, prospered. It was one of the most perfect places to really help the people Hermes had ever been to, either through politics or through bodily work.

During one of his stays with his apprentice - they were currently posing as a merchant and his daughter, helping the poor as part of their service to the gods – they had stumbled upon a large crowd of people, all staring intently at a scene hidden from the pair.

Their curiosity piqued, they fought their way through the crowd to get a better look. A small boy, a beggar, by the looks of it, was kneeling on the floor, crying, his left knee twisted at an unnatural angle.

Crouching over him was a young, healthy woman dressed in an obviously expensive tunic, who smiled down at him. What alarmed the two immortals, though, was Goa'uld healing device the woman pulled from her robes and slipped over her hands.

When the device activated and emitted a pale golden beam of light that caused the boys leg to knit back together and heal rapidly, Hermes expected the people to panic, to run and scream for mercy from the gods and their power. Instead, the people seemed to be awed, but calm.

Tapping the man next to him, Hermes leaned over. "What is happening here?"

The man seemed unfazed. "The boy fell off the roof and broke his leg. The Lady offered to heal it for him."

Hermes nodded, carefully morphing his face into an expression of awe.

"She is a great sorcerer then? Or maybe even a servant of the gods themselves?"

Finally, the spectator turned his full attention to the conversation. "You are not from around here, are you?"

Without waiting for an answer, although Hermes nodded immediately and opened his mouth to repeat their carefully planed story, he continued. "A few months ago, she showed up here and offered her services to the king. As you can imagine, he laughed her out of the palace. After all, what would a commoner, a woman, at that, be able to do for a king. She stayed persistent, though, and became known as a good soul amongst the people. Wherever she went, she spread health and good fortune, so in the end, the king called her back, and invited her to his court. Rumour says, she is nymph sent by the gods themselves to lead Rome to greatness."

Hermes frowned in thought as he took in the new information, before turning to Iris and finding her mind.

"_Something strange is going on, here. She seems to be Goa'uld, but does not behave like one. She does not seem to have any Jaffa or slaves with her, but no Goa'uld ever travels without them. Run back to the ship and call the others. We might have a situation here."_

That night, half a dozen high-pitched whining sounds sounded through a small clearing a good walk away from the city as the various ships they had heisted touched down.

.

Hera carefully inspected the fish she was holding as the people in the street behind her parted seemingly on their own. A female form glided through the masses with a grace that was unusual in the common people, and only rarely seen amongst the aristocracy.

With a nod in thanks, Hera dropped a few coins and left the vendor behind to follow the figure a few turns, before abruptly turning right.

At the next junction, Poseidon stepped away from where he was watching a few kids play and made his way down the street. For hours, they had now followed the woman wandering through Rome. Most of the time, she seemed to be content with simply watching, but every once in a while, she would stop, sometimes to simply offer some words of encouragement, sometimes to use her healing device or give a beggar some coins. So far, she appeared to be peaceful, which was strange in itself.

Excusing himself from his conversation with Hephaistos and Apollon, Zeus relieved Poseidon from his duty.

"_This is getting us nowhere. Hades?"_

Hades hurried along the rooftops, jumping from one house to the next as he tried to keep up with the streets, while at the same time remaining unseen. _"In position."_

A few turns later, their suspect turned into a less busy section of town, and then into an even more vacant side street. _"Ares. We are heading to you. Close it up."_

As Zeus reached into his tunica, his fist curling around the zat'ni'katel hidden there, he was perfectly aware of the position of every one of the other elders as they coordinated constantly to cover the Goa'uld and now to make sure they remained undisturbed. The younger immortals, those younger then the rebellion of Egypt, moved around town in case the situation got out of hand, and guarded their ships.

At the end of the small street, Ares stepped around the corner and into the shadows, out of sight of any accidental passerby. He, too, pulled out a zat'ni'katel, and Zeus could see the woman's back stiffen in recognition.

As she turned to flee, and just as she spotted him sealing the other exit, Hades dropped over the ledge of the small building and directly behind her, his zat'ni'katel immediately digging into her back.

Both immortals on the junctions slowly and cautiously moved further into the small ally, keeping their weapons concealed but in hand at their hands. Their target knew they were there, and that was enough. If things got out of control, they would not be using them anyways, not in a city as large as Rome.

"Who are you, Goa'uld?" Even from the distance, Hades' hiss sounded cold and hard as steal to Zeus, and he mentally congratulated his friend on a performance well done. More interesting, though, was the look of confusion on the woman's face, before her shoulders slumped in relief.

"I know longer call myself Goa'uld. You scared me. I thought the Ashrak had caught up with me already."

While the woman turned her head to smile at all three of her captors in turn, the men continued to be cautiously confused.

"If you would, now, though, I'd like to talk to Thundering Eagle. Can you get me to him, or him here."

Now, Zeus eyes widened in surprise as he connected the missing dots. They knew one Goa'uld who would help people, and only one Goa'uld knew his name. Although Zeus was reasonably sure, he watched closely as he spoke up again to detect any hint of deceit that might expose their friend.

"You look different, Egeria."

The woman took it in stride, though, and merely smiled at him. "I don't recognize either of you, either. My old host turned too old for me to heal, and we discovered one of the reasons for the Goa'uld's evil and madness is their continuos use of the Sarcophagus. It suppresses inhibitions and brings forth ruthlessness. Merel had taken ill with a powerful virus, and was on her deathbed. For us, it was a match made in heaven, and we have spent long hours in wonderful conversation since then."

Zeus nodded. Not only did her explanation make a lot of sense and matched a lot of their theories while living together in Shank'anon, it also represented a concept that was most likely so foreign to the Goa'uld, they would not even think of pretending.

"I am called Zeus now, " the immortal explained with a smile. "I am sure you remember Graceful Cobra, or Hades now, and over there is Ra'tep, now Ares."

Immediately, Egeria had moved out of Hades' grip and flung her arms around Zeus, giving him a gentle squeeze. "It's good to see you again, my friend."

"Good to see you, too. It has been way to long."

As Egeria made her round, greeting the other two, Zeus informed the others of their situation.

"Come. We have a camp a half an hour out of town. The others are eager to meet you again, and I am sure you have lots to tell. How ever did you manage to find us?"

As the quartet made their way out of town, strolling side by side, Egeria began to tell her story.

"Since I had no domains but those on Earth, I was forced to once again return to Ra's court after the rebellion. He was understandably angry at you for the first few decades, but as far as I know, he never even suspected me back then.

Someday, I simply could not endure anymore and announced I would leave his palace to once again form my own empire. Ellenise and I left quickly and without ever looking back, travelling amongst the stars, trying to find a way to help the people and oppose the Goa'uld without being too obvious.

I healed a few scrapes and illnesses, and advised a few villages on better farming techniques, but things were not really getting anywhere, or having the impact I had hoped for.

That was when your wife found us, Eag - Zeus."

Up until that point, the three immortals had been simply nodding along with their companions story as they walked travelled parallelly to the cities main street. Now, Hades and Apollon swirled their heads to look at her, while Zeus stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide in shock.

"She is well then? She got away? What about my son? Do you know anything about Shining Wolf?"

Egeria smiled at her old friend kindly, before inclining her had slightly. As if the interruption had never occurred, she continued her story.

"She and your son had managed to escape their captors quickly. In fact, I would be surprised if they were still captured by the time we left Earth. They managed to make their way to a small planet out of Goa'uld territory, and found refugee with the people there. The Tollans are not nearly as advanced as the Goa'uld, but Shining Moon and Shining Wolf had already started them on a good path to form strong civilization.

Ellenise and I lived with the Tollans for a few years, and helped them to build up their culture, but we grew restless. Your wife wished to combat the Goa'uld, as well, but after she heard of the treaty you had negotiated, she felt confirmed in her decision not to.

We quickly understood that Ellenise and I were too few to continue our struggle. Non of the Tollans were educated enough to successfully pose as anything related to the Goa'uld. Ellenise had at least lived under Ra's oppression for a few years, but the Tollans would have stood out on any occupied planet.

To really infiltrate the higher reaches of the System Lords, no human would have been enough, anyways, so we quickly came up with a new strategy.

I am a Goa'uld queen, and that has always been my biggest advantage. You should see them, Eagle. They are magnificent, my children. We only had a handful of Jaffa who were completely loyal and could serve as to nurture my children, so we had to move slowly. We had a long time to grow, though, and continued to do so steadily. I chose carefully which memories to share with them. They saw the evil of the Goa'uld, and the potential the human race has, but I made sure your secret stayed with me.

Your wife briefly took in the first symbiote, since we were not sure whether or not they would really reject the path of the Goa'uld. Once she confirmed their good intentions the symbiote left peacefully, and then various sick Tollans agreed to serve as partners. We share their body, and in return, we heal them and renew their youth.

After a while, we were so many that we eventually had to venture to other planets to find more hosts, least we damage Tollan society permanently. My new host, Merel is one such human. She is from a small moon, one of Apophis' newest conquests, where she had caught a dangerous flu. Even with my hand device, I could do nothing for her, so I offered her the only alternative I could think of. Apophis had killed her husband and her newborn son, so she jumped at the chance. Neither of us have ever regretted the partnership.

In time, though, my children grew restless, and we eventually agreed to return to the larger galaxy and take up our fight. We call ourself Tok'ra now, 'Against Ra', just as we did back then.

Even with our growing numbers, we were much fewer Tok'ra then Goa'uld, and we were heavily underequipped, so we had no choice but to fight in secrecy. My children easily managed to reintegrate themselves into all levels of Goa'uld society and with all of the various System Lords. We gathered information, organized rebellions on many of the far-away colonies, and sabotaged important shipments and production facilities.

We made a mistake, though. We thought ourselves unbeatable, so much more clever then the enemy, and so we returned to Tollan after every mission. One day, one of my children was observed as he dialled the gate after a sabotage mission, and followed by the minor Goa'uld. The Goa'uld had not understood we were the mysterious enemy, simply taking my child to be a spy of another Lord, but they were on guard. When the Goa'uld arrived on Tollan, and saw the rich culture of the humans, I managed to convince him that Tollan was my own territory, and that unless he wished to challenge me, he should better leave.

He did, but when the weapons research facility exploded shortly afterwards, he remembered me, and rightfully blamed me and my child. We had become bothersome enough that Ra himself was informed, and a spy of ours in his court managed to get word out to us.

The Goa'uld who had found us had hoped to win Tollan for himself, so he never talked about the planet. We managed to assassinate him just in time, and then decided to leave Tollan for good. The risk for the innocent was too great.

Ra is hunting me and all my kids, and putting a lot of pressure on us that way. I simply had to come see all of you one last time, before I do what I have to do. Besides, I managed to pilfer a few scientific texts from Ra's library I thought I'd share."

Zeus lightly grabbed the woman's arm and spun her around, forcing her to stop and look at him. On the street, various pesants and stopped to observe the group, and some looked like they were about to step forward when a slight sway of Egeria's hand and a small smile stopped them.

"What, exactly, is it that you feel you have to do?"

Egeria's face turned completely serious. "We are hunted down like animals, Zeus. My children are completely unprepared to fight a large scale war against the Goa'uld empire, or to even hide from it. They need time, and the only thing right now that would satisfy Ra would be me, the one who betrayed him and organized all this. Through my sacrifice, I can buy my children enough time to relocate and go into hiding once again. Ra does not like to execute his subordinates, anyways, so maybe I will be rescued in time."

All three immortals shook their heads in denial, their eyes dead and angry as they contemplated their options.

"Shining Wolf suggested coming to seek refuge here on Earth, but all it would do would give the Goa'uld an excuse to break the treaty. They are sure that, should they attack in sufficient numbers, they can overwhelm you. There is just nobody who would dare to try and be the first one. There is simply no other way, I'm afraid."

Non of the immortals liked it, but Egeria could see acceptance for her plan.

"Come then, " Zeus finally said. "You don't seem to have that long and already wasted a lot of time searching for us. The others are eager to meet you again. Tonight, at least, we shall feast together."

A few days later, one of the captured fighter touched down on the ice near its destroyed and exploited sister ship. Two heavily cloaked figures stepped out of the cockpit and embraced one last time, before one of them began her descend into the small dark hole she had risen from, and disappeared in a flash of blue light.

.

_about 500 A.D., Asgard Milky Way Task Force, Flagship_

Even though red lights flashed hurriedly through the bridge of the Ragnarok, non of the large, grey aliens seemed to be in any stress. In fact, apart from their short, precise sentences and their slightly hurried pace, one might think everything was all right.

Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard Fleet was proud to serve his people. At just over 1.85 meters, he stood a little less tall then the average Asgard as he entered the bridge from his personal ready room, but his people had long since abandoned any standing due to bodily strength anyways. His success in the war against the Goa'uld, though, had caused the brilliant strategist to rise to prominence in the fleet just as their scientists perfected the cloning process. He was now the longest serving Supreme Commander by thousands of years.

The Milky Way galaxy, with its constant threat through the Goa'uld, were currently the Asgard's largest military concern, and, as such, required his presence the most. While the Asgard's own home, the Ida Galaxy, was relatively safe currently, the technologically advanced race had long since claimed responsibility for those weaker then themselves, just as another great race had done for them many thousand years ago.

When Thor had been but a child, an alliance had existed between four incredibly advanced, powerful races. The Asgard, despite their respectable level of advancement even back then, had been the junior members, and the mentee of a race so advanced, that the Asgard were still desperately trying to understand the technology they had left behind thousands of years ago, when they vanished around the time Thor had been a little boy playing on the vast green fields of Othala.

They had, however, left their friends a purpose, a task and a warning in one. Before they had left this plane of existence to explore a new being, they had lost a horrible war that had decimated their people. Even on the brink of existence, they had hidden their home galaxy from their enemies, and had in the end fled back there. To the Asgard, they left the means to recognize said enemy, and tasked them to keep their own home, and the legacy they left behind, safe.

Eager to please their friends, the Asgard council had immediately ordered the construction of the Moros network, a set of countless small, stealthy drones equipped with powerful subspace scanners, that patrolled the edge of the Milky Way galaxy pointing towards the Pegasus Nebula, where the enemy lay waiting, named after their friend and the leader of the Alterans. Every Asgard ship, be it military or civil, had been equipped with a connection to the central observation service, even personal ships eager to render assistance.

For years, the network had been monitored by multiple shifts of volunteers, while many more had been rejected as unsuitably reliable for such an important task. Nothing ever happened, though, and in time, the initial eagerness to finally have a chance to repay the Alterans had passed. Today, the Moros network lay almost forgotten in space, dutifully transmitting its findings to a powerful computer monitoring the data.

Now though, as Supreme Commander Thor entered the bridge of his flagship, his entire bridge grew seemed to be focused on the small, red dot blinking on a screen that had never before in the history of the battle cruiser been used, although the crew of the flagship of the commander of the most advanced race in the galaxy was too veteran to actually stop and stare at the screen.

"What is happening?" The Asgard, due to the lack of Adrenalin in their bodies, managed to keep calm even in the most dire situation. As a result, they never developed the crisp, straight to the point military language that would become popular on Earth.

The Asgard now manning the Moros station answered immediately, though. "Supreme Commander. The Moros network has identified a craft coming from Pegasus galaxy. Subspace displacement matches that which the Alteran database identifies as a Wraith Hive ship. The hyperspace frequency is roughly Alteran, though."

"Roughly, Lieutenant?"

The science officer nodded slightly, as if ashamed of his own findings. "It is an Alteran engine, Commander, but it has been altered, either it is a different model then the ones we know, or, given our situation, it has been tweaked to be able to move a wraith hive ship. That would explain the low speed as well."

Thor nodded. "Could it be a sensor error? Possibly something the computer interpreted to be such an abnormal event?"

The other Asgard shook his head quickly. "We thought so at first, as well, but we have now confirmation from another two satellites, and I checked the rough data myself."

"Very well. Project the craft's path and calculate the most likely point of exit from hyperspace. We will intercept them there. Put the fleet on alert in case this is a full-scale attack. Inform the High Council that I recommend to restaff the Moros network terminals."

"The High Council has been informed. Most likely departure point is Terra. The Task Force is preparing for departure."

Thor inspected the single, blinking red dot on the display. "No. We will only take the Sigyn and the Geirölul. Have the rest of the Task Force report to Commander Aegir's command. They are to patrol along the edge of this galaxy in case any more ships arrive."

.

Science Drone Five, or SD5 for short, was pleased with his work for his queen. A few hundred years ago, his Hive had found an old Lantean capital ship, lying powerless in space. Apparently, they had won a skirmish with a small fleet of Wraith now drifting through space in pieces, but had lost their power shortly afterwards.

Unable to return to Atlantis, they had died slowly as they tried to repair their generator. Thousands of years later, he had led a team of scientists to explore the ship and exploit it. Originally, they had thought the Lantean technology to be the treasure of their expedition, but SD5 had soon found a database entry that had piqued his interest.

The capital ship they had beaten had been one of those the Lantean had used to first come to the Pegasus Galaxy, escorting their mighty cityship. It was, therefore, equipped with a powerful intergalactic drive, and carried the origin of their journey so long ago.

When he had found that information, SD5 had briefly doubted its authenticity. After all, the Lantean had been the Wraith's major enemy since the very beginnings of their people and as such clearly not stupid. On the other hand, the humanoids were extremely arrogant and sure in their technology.

His queen had been most pleased with SD5 when he had presented his findings. With the end of the Lantean-Wraith war, more Wraith existed then the remaining human population could sustain. As a result, the less powerful fractions within the Wraith, such as their own, were forced to either go to sleep or to relocate as they fought for access to their herds.

The Lanteans, though, had once before proven an interest in creating human life capable of feeding the Wraith. The chances were high they would have done the same where they originally came from and later returned to.

The only problem with that had been the distance to Avalon. Ironically, though, the Lantean themselves had provided SD5 with a solution when his queen had ordered him with finding a way to overcome this obstacle. Their hyperdrive, while not made for a ship the size of a Wraith Hive, could easily adopted to create a much larger hyperspace portal. Similarly, the Lantean's shields could be extended to protect the hull from hyperspace radiation.

While their new hyperdrive needed a large amount of the power their Hive had available and still operated much less efficient then it would have hauling the Lantean ship, it eliminated the Hives need to regularly exit hyperspace, and allowed them to cross out into intergalactic space.

While the flight itself still took centuries, a large supply of humans in stasis, as well as the Wraith's ability to put themselves into a deep hibernation that ensured maximum survival time enabled SD5's Hive to make the journey. Their target was 'Terra', the Lantean's, or back then Alteran's, home planet for many thousand years, and therefore probably the most heavily populated one.

On the bridge of his Hive, SD5 watched the monotone yet constantly changing stream of hyperspace from his queen's side – a position of honour in recognition of his contributions to the success of this mission.

As they finally reverted back into real-space, their ship began to shake as their technicians desperately tried to reraise their new shields to combat the unknown enemies fire.

.

Even though the rip of spacetime as a hyperspace window opens sounds like a large explosion, no sound could be transmitted through the vacuum of space. Therefore, nobody on Earth registered when the Ragnarok and her two escorts reverted back into real-space, cloaked and settled into orbit above the planet.

"As calculated, we got here first, Commander. Sensors show a Wraith Hive two minutes away."

Thor nodded from his chair on the bridge as he observed the various sensor readouts flashing through his personal terminal.

"Alert the other ships. Charge the weapons. Shields ready. The moment the Wraith clear hyperspace, fire at will. Target weapons and engines. Make sure they can not get away."

"Yes, commander."

The moment the second rift opened in space, the three attackers uncloaked and activated their shields instead, their camouflage useless since the constant stream of ion pulses coming from their weapons announced their positions clearly. The Geirölul, being closest to the enemy, immediately swept along the Hive's tail, her flashing as they impacted the enemy's vulnerable engines again and again just before the Wraith managed to activate their shields.

Supreme Commander Thor watched in frustration as their second volley was easily absorbed by the enemies powerful shields. The Ragnarok, the only capital class ship he had brought and easily the most powerful of the three, had unfortunately been furthest away from the rift and therefore took painfully long to navigate into weapons range. While her shots had done more then the superficial damage the Sigyn, a science vessel, had inflicted, and even enabled them to do more then the tactical strikes the Geirölul, a cruiser, relied on, only a single shot managed to leave the powerful ships mighty hammer-like superstructure before the shields activated.

"Commander, the Geirölul reports successful destruction of both engine gondolas. The enemy is down to thrusters, and has yet to slow down from hyperspace."

With interest, Thor observed the enemy ship heading for the planet they were guarding. While their own secondary weapons seemed to be unable to penetrate the much larger ship's shields, at least for now, a crash was, in his opinion, inevitable. Still, the Wraith ship desperately fired it's thrusters as they tried to decelerate and stabilize their orbit. Additionally, three smaller cruisers, fixed to the stern and bow, utilized their own engines to slow down their Hive and angle it upwards.

A second shot from the Ragnarok's main weapon, the most powerful ion weapon the Asgard had ever created, finally managed to slice through the shields and took out the starboard weapons phalanx, just as it was preparing to fire another salvo into the Sigyn.

As the Hive ship entered atmosphere, Thor contemplated following them to maintain optimal weapon range, but ultimately decided not to. The heat of reentry and the particles in the air would further weaken their shields, designed for space combat, and would put the crew at an unnecessary risk. Moments later, his decision was proven right.

"Commander, the Hive is launching dozens of smaller crafts from within. Additionally, the cruisers have disengaged and are attempting to pull out of atmosphere."

With a small amount of satisfaction, Thor watched as the foremost cruiser was hampered by the hive it was trying to protect and unable to pull up for long moments, before it finally swird to the left. Too close to the planet and too fast to successfully pull up now, they, too, joined their Hive in a semi-controlled reentry, crashing roughly a hundred kilometres further west then the others of their kind.

A small shudder brought Thor's attention back into space, where the small darts tried to swarm and distract the powerful Asgard vessels, while the cruisers inflicted more serious damage on their enemies.

Analyzing the situation, the Supreme Commander contemplated his options. In the long years at war with the Goa'uld, the Asgard had often been confronted with swarm-tactics like this one and had been forced to quickly develop counter strategies.

The Ragnarok carried two squadrons of eight fighters each, but Thor despised sending his pilots out against superior numbers. While the ships were equipped with shielding technology and were vastly superior to what the sensors reported from the Wraith fighters, the relatively small space prohibited Asgard engineers from fitting them with sufficiently powerful protections to truly make the Supreme Commander comfortable, especially when he knew that, in the close quarters of a dogfight, the chance for the recall program to fail before the fighters exploded, were high. Should that happen, they would not have a mind to copy in any new body they cloned.

Instead, Thor prefered to allow the inconsequential fighters to hammer against his shields as dozens of smaller turrets slowly picked them out of the sky with short volleys of antimatter. Meanwhile, the recharged main cannon easily carved itself a path though the small fighters and shredded through the first cruisers shields and hull, just as the combined fire of the Sigyn and the Geirölul, aided by the Ragnaroks secondary weaponry, overwhelmed the second cruisers shields.

"What's the status." As Thor preferred it, only a small amount of officers manned the bridge's stations, while most others of his crew, counting a few hundred, was stationed on other locations throughout the ship. It kept the bridge easy to supervise and fairly quiet. A promising young ensign manning weapons and tactics, was the first to respond.

"Two enemy cruisers and one hundred sixty fighters destroyed in space. One more cruiser, as well as the Hive ship have crashlanded on the planet. Several Wraith have left either location and are scouting the area."

Thor nodded, having read as much from gleaming through the summary on his own private screen.

"Sir. Sensors are picking up an energy buildup in the Hive's main communications systems. They are preparing to send a message, from the energy I'm reading here probably to Pegasus galaxy."

For the first time in the skirmish, Thor visibly became agitated, jumping out of his seat.

"Hail the Sigyn. NOW!"

Suddenly, Thor was glad he had chosen to bring a science vessel instead of one of the more powerful warships under his command. Immediately, an imposing Asgard of over two meters in height, and with a strong build filled the main view screen of the Ragnarok. Thor wasted no time with pleasantries, though.

"Captain. Initialize blackout procedures to jam a high-powered subspace communication immediately. We can not allow this Hive to transmit data back to Pegasus."

The Sigyn's captain turned to bark his orders just before the view screen darkened and the connection collapsed. Immediately, Thor looked back to the ensign delivering the report.

"No subspace peak. They are powering down the communications array, probably because they registered the blackout field."

Thor signed, but nodded his head. He had hoped the Wraith would assume their message had been sent and would not try again, but he knew their jamming field was not subtle. The only way the Asgard knew that made transmitting subspace messages impossible was to basically flood the subspace with enough random patterns that any information sent would be completely superimposed. Unfortunately, though, it was extremely easy to detect, and also prohibited the Asgard's own communications technology, as well as their subspace scanner systems.

"Assume optical communications positions. Advise both escorts as to the situation on ground. The Sigyn is to uphold the jamming field at all costs."

The Asgard engineers, once they had accepted that there was no better way to control enemy communications, had equipped all military ships with a set of high frequency gamma ray lasers, which allowed the ships to at least use pulsed electro-magnetic radiation for communication. While nowhere near as fast as subspace communications and severely handicapped in terms of flexibility and range, it at least provided the fleet with a way to coordinate.

"Navigation. Take us into orbit above the hive. Engineering, transfer all energy to the main cannon. It's time to end this."

The Ragnarok was the crown jewel of Asgard weapon development. As the flagship of Supreme Commander Thor, Hero of the Asgard-Goa'uld war and member of the High Council, it was a matter of pride for the grey aliens to make it the most devastating ship in the known galaxy. As a result, the main cannon focused almost as much energy as the ships main neutrino-ion generator matrix could produce.

Normally, a buffer would preload steadily as excess energy was available, allowing the ship to fire short pulses of the weapon while also using engines and shields. For rare cases like now, though, when the Asgard wished to destroy a single, large, helpless object, shields and engines could be shut down to enable a constant beam of high-energy ions to be fired.

As the Ragnarok moved into position, the artificial gravity keeping the crew standing upright even as the ships bow pointed straight towards the ground, a thick ion beam left the hammer and hit the crashed Hive ship's mighty protections. While the Wraith technology strained to compensate for the large amounts of energy bleeding against its shields, it held a big advantage. Since Wraith Hives regularly land when the drones hibernate, their ships are build for space as well as for atmospheric combat, and were, contrary to their Asgard counterparts, undisturbed by the surrounding air.

Unfortunately for the Ragnarok, their weapon was, like their shield, not designed for atmospheric combat, and as such, lost a lot of it's energy as it made it's way through ten kilometres of particles. As a result, the energy arriving at the Hive was insufficient to bleed through the enemies shield as it had done in space shortly before.

"Cease firing!" It was probably due to the inexperience of the ensign manning the weapons station that he actually obeyed the order given to him. Supreme Commander Thor, though, who was the only one actually authorized to give such an order, angrily rounded on the Lieutenant manning the sensors.

"What is the meaning of this?"

To his credit, the man looked ashamed for a moment before his shoulders squared and he met his superiors gaze unflinchingly.

"I apologize Commander. I did not mean to make my exclamation sound like an order. We had to stop firing, though."

Thor still looked furious, if somewhat curious as well. "Explain."

"I have closely monitored the enemy cruiser, but also kept an eye on the planets ecosystem and the atmosphere around the beam. The energy we are loosing on the way down is absorbed by the particles in the planet's atmosphere, causing a rapid acceleration of the number of chemical reactions occurring. Additionally, the radical neutronium ions we are using for our weapons are introduced into the ecosystems, leading to the creation of various foreign compounds.

So far, the changes to the ecosystem are minor and will eventually revert. If we continue to fire, though, we might permanently damage or even destroy the ecosystem, and condemn the whole planet."

Thor clearly looked unhappy, but finally nodded to the officer making his report.

"Very well, then. Signal the Signy and the Geirölul. They are to remain in orbit and intercept all crafts leaving the atmosphere. Engineering, I want power back on the shields. Navigation, take us in close to the Hive. Weapons, ready to fire again."

"Commander." Once again, the sensor officer interrupted Thor's orders. "Our weapons would have the same impact if they bled of against the Wraith shields. Additionally, projections indicate that overpowering the Wraith's shields with shields and engines running would take several days, if not weeks. As you know, our engines would likewise cause problems for the ecosystems if they were to remain running in the atmosphere that long."

Thor nodded, now clearly unhappy. "Very well, then. What do you propose?"

"I don't know, Commander. Everything I can come up with has some disadvantage."

As Thor stopped to contemplate further options, a sharp intake of breath, as well as hurried movements of fingers across the input console, brought the Commander's attention back to the sensor officer. Seeing him not paying Thor any mind, his superior calmly attracted his attention.

"Yes?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Commander. I wished to confirm these findings before I alerted you. Sensors have found eighteen smaller Goa'uld crafts just before they were blacked out. I'm currently trying to use optical sensors to relocate the gliders. Four of them are circling the Cruiser, another two are landed close by, and the rest is close to the Hive ship. Additionally, what I think to be the pilots of the two landed fighters, four humans total, are engaging a patrol of Wraith, ten of them, in close combat. They appear to be winning, Commander."

Thor sucked in a breath as he watched the sensor readings now on the main view screen. The Alterans had taken great care to warn the Asgard not to engage the Wraith in close combat, unless they had at least a slight advantage in numbers, since the human-bug hybrid possessed great physical strength and unmatched self-healing powers.

Not even the Jaffa or a host should be able to match a single Wraith, let alone a group with almost three times their numbers.


	13. 13 A New Threat

**12 A New Threat**

_Shortly before, Earth, Europe, British Isles_

Three thousand five hundred years after leaving Shank'anon, the immortals had finally decided to settle down once again. Their numbers had almost doubled since their defeat of Chronos, so instead of moving into an existing town, where they would have to hide their powers and their knowledge, the about thirty immortals had searched the whole planet for a place that caught their fancy.

Deciding to move onto an island was easy. With the ships they had captured, getting to and from would not be a problem, and, as long as the island was small enough, there would be no risk of passing humans to accidentally stumble in on them.

Finding an island that suited their needs, on the other hand, had been a lot harder. For nearly a century, every immortal had inspected islands all over the world, checking them for climate, distance to the mainland, visibility from the mainland, and various other aspects.

In the end, a small island near the Welsh shore proofed to be perfect, or at least as close as it got. It's steep hills ment nobody ever went there, and the ocean's mist prevented anybody from actually getting a clear view of the proceedings most of the day. At the same time, Europe, which quickly developed to be a hotspot of cultural development, was within easy reach. While a little colder and more rainy then many of the immortals would have liked, the gulf stream at least brought relatively mild winters.

Using their two cargo ships, the immortals quickly began shipping building materials from all over the world to their small island, while also digging into the hard stone ground to produce completely hidden rooms for everything they did not want seen.

In one such room, Zeus and various others were currently holding on to a strong rope as they slowly lowered the heavy flywheel for their central engine underground. It was, Zeus mused, ironic, that even with all their powers, the technology they had captured, and the understanding they had of nature, there was no better way to do this then get a couple of guys together, find a good rope and an edge to tie it around, and slowly lower it down. They could have, of course, build a small crane, and they would, eventually, but doing so would simply take to long for now.

The immortals had, after many discussions, decided to save their captured naquada power cells from the various weapons and ships for emergencies. Instead, they had to rely on their own understanding of the laws of nature to build their lives and home.

Even more restricting, though, was the lack of resources the group had available. Finding stone and wood was easy enough, but even iron proofed to be quiet difficult to acquire in larger quantities. In recent centuries, free enterprise had developed at least far enough that made it possible to buy such resources, even if it meant wasting the immortals meagre possessions for bartering. The materials they could buy would normally then require extensive purification or at least postprocessing until they were usable for their more complicated needs.

Other materials, especially those rich in energy such as coal or oil, or more rare such as Titan and Wolfram, were almost impossible to come by. It was one of the reasons they had developed the engine they used. The design that the human Stirling would redevelop a thousand three hundred years later could run with any kind of fuel, including the simple firewood they could get on the mainland in masses.

Eventually, the immortals planned to build up a small windmill and maybe even a tidal power plant to produce electric energy. That will require a lot more rare resources, though, to store the power for example, and was simply not practical at the moment.

As Hades finally fitted the main axes through the heavy wheel, Zeus let go of the rope and gave a sign of relief. Two thirds of the immortals, mostly the younger ones still in training, were currently living on their as of yet unnamed island, while the others travelled the lands and helped the people. Fortunately for them, aside from a few minor border disputes, no wars were currently fought that would require their attention.

"Zeus! Get up here and look at that." Naturally, the moment everybody heard Hermes' voice echoing over their small island, every immortal dived towards the windows and doors to see what the immortal elder was pointing at.

In the sky, two fireballs, one extremely large, the other simply large, slowly descended over Northern Europe. As Zeus reached the surface from the cellar he had been in, Hermes turned to him expectantly.

"So, what do you think?"

Zeus inspected the two objects above Earth for a moment before he answered.

"The angle is pretty shallow for a meteoroid. And, is that first thing slowing down?"

Hermes nodded. "I thought so, too. And it seems to be trying to pull up as well."

"Not natural, then, unfortunately. The smaller one mighty be a new Ha'tak, a much larger one then the ones we know, but the System Lord always had a thing for size. The other one, though, is way out of the Goa'ulds expertise. To get that much mass of the ground seems almost impossible."

As Hermes nodded in consent, Zeus turned towards the other immortals watching.

"No matter what it is, we have to make sure it is safe. Inform everybody, we are leaving immediately. Sent messages to all those away on missions to meet us as soon as possible."

As soon as he had finished, the twenty or so others hurried to get word out and man their fighters, while the elder most immortals stayed back. Suddenly, Zeus found himself glad that he and Hades, as well as Persephone had become a team and rarely operated independently. It meant that he had both of his closest friends available in this crisis, while most others of those who had experience fighting the Goa'uld were spread out throughout the world.

"Our first order of business is to find out whether or not the landed crafts are Goa'uld. If not, find out what they want and whether or not they are friendly and offer help if wished. Hades, take your wife and check out the larger ships. Hermes, you'll provide air support with three others while I lead three to attempt to get close to the smaller one. Objections?"

Hearing non, Zeus nodded and made his way to their small alien armoury. No matter what they would find, he wanted to be prepared for combat. Somehow, their experience with aliens so far did nothing to encourage the 'father of gods and men'. Minutes later, every immortal on the island was stowed away in one of their crafts and airborn, heading north-east.

Locating the two ships had been easy enough. Besides the obviously alien, mountain-size thing lying on the ground, clearly visible from dozens of kilometres away, the smaller of the two ships had crashed through a small mountain peak in central Norway, whirling stones and dust from the destroyed rock up into the air and loosing quiet a big part of his flank. The larger ship, meanwhile, had been luckier and had watered in a small lake in northern Sweden, thereby bleeding of a lot of excess energy. While the craft looked to be far from spaceworthy, it was at least roughly in one piece.

As the small fleet of fighters finally dove through the clouds they had so far used to cover their flight from the humans and got their first look at the two wreckages, Zeus slowed his ship slightly and leaned forward to activate the communication system.

"This is Zeus. All units slow down. Split up into your assigned teams."

Just as Zeus began to get worried by the lack of response, Hades' mind touched his own.

"_Zeus! Are you all right? Why are you not answering."_

Instead of replying mentally, Zeus reached out to communicate with all immortals simultaneously.

"_Com system is down. Remember, our priority is to identify those crafts. Hades' group procedes to the second ship. My group, follow me."_

As he got confirmation from the others, Zeus pushed his own fighter downwards towards the plume of dust that clearly marked their destination.

The moment the alien ship came into clear view, it was obvious that they were not dealing with Goa'uld. The dark blue ship was a lot sleeker then the Goa'ulds favourite designs, and seemed to be constructed without any thoughts on status. There were neither any grand ornaments decorating the ship, nor were any signs of affiliation visible. Whoever build this wanted it to do what it was designed to do, and did not care how it looked doing it.

"_Ok. Hermes, take your team and circle around once before you meet up with us. Take care to look for any details that might help us to identify whoever flies that thing, or anything that might allow us to infiltrate it. Once you are done, come back to help us out should we need you."_

As Hermes confirmed the order, Zeus' and a second fighter set down on the ground not far from the ship. Both had been manned with two immortals, thus freeing up the other planes for those actually on airborn missions. Briefly, the group had considered using one of their cargo ships to deliver the ground group, but had discarded that again quickly. The larger ship was unarmed, slow and fragile. Should they actually be attacked on the way, they would be sitting ducks.

The four immortals agilely slid out of their cockpits and dropped the few feet to the ground, before fanning out to cover the two ships.

"OK. Iris, Hypnos, guard the ships. Zelos, you are with me. Let's go."

Before the duo had even reached the edge of the small clearing they had landed in, light blue, almost white energy balls zipped through the treeline, targeting the four immortals within. Zelos, a young immortal barely a hundred and fifty years old, with dark skin and hair, went down immediately.

"Damn it! Take cover. Return fire." _"Do not show them your powers unless you have to."_

Zeus did not hesitate to grab his companions back and uncaringly throw him between the two ships as he uncoiled the zat'ni'katel hidden within the folds of his clothes and ducked between the ships for cover as well. At the same time, ten pale, lean figures emerged from the trees, most of their faces covered with grey, metallic masks and holding strange-looking, almost man high rodes like weapons before them. Three of the aliens showed their faces. They appeared humanoid, but their long teeth, dark eyes and the slits in their cheeks cave an animalic apparence, as well.

As Zeus couched down to check on his companion, thankfully finding a strong pulse, he reached out with his mind once again. _"Hermes. Get back here. We are under attack."_

Loosening another few shots into their attackers, Zeus annalized the situation. From the looks of it, the strangers had been attacked in space, and lost. Moments after they crashed, he and his team had landed, the other ships circling their downed craft. Of course, they would have to assume they were, or at least were allied with, the ones that had shot them down.

Sending a quick "Cease firing!" to his companions, Zeus took a deep breath and began to shout.

"We are not your enemy, but simply here to see who you are and to offer help. My friends and I have nothing to do with those who attacked you."

When no reply came, even if the aliens had stopped firing as well, Zeus risked taking a peak over his cover. The aliens had steadily advanced and were surrounding their position, keeping their weapons pointed towards them at all times. One of the unmasked ones was, meanwhile, looking back in Zeus' direction and smiled ferally.

"You do not matter. You are prey."

Then, with an impossibly high and long jump, especially since he was standing still before, he crossed the remaining distance to the immortal and thrust his right hand forward. Only now did the immortal register the strange slit on the aliens' palm as it opened up slightly similar to a small mouth before eating.

Zeus had spent countless years training to fight, though, and was high on adrenalin. Dancing out of the hands he thrust the arm aside before swiping with his foot along the ground. Instinctively, he became aware of the other unmasked aliens attacking his own companions, while Zelos still remained motionless on the ground. As the alien jumped over his kick, he felt Hades connect to his mind.

"_Be careful, Zeus! Those are monsters! We found them feeding on a small village, they literally drained the poor souls dry with their hands, and they appeared unbelievably strong."_

As a result, Zeus became more aggressive and thrust his fist forward hard and fast and finally managed to navigate through his opponent's guard, punching the aliens gut with all his strength. Instead of the alien doubling over in pain, though, as Zeus had expected, it simply gave an annoyed hiss, before thrusting his arms together. Zeus just managed to jank his arm back before the odd angle would have most likely broken several bones in his arm.

Moments later, Hermes' squad finally returned, sending several bolts of yellow plasma into the treeline as they passed by Zeus' position. Directly behind them, though, six blueish sleeker ships passed the tree line, their engines giving off a high pitched sound as they fired blue weapons after the Goa'uld glider. Apparently, Hermes was in trouble as well.

Zeus managed to use the distraction, though, and vaulted over his cover, firing his zat'ni'katel to down one of the masked fighters around him, as well as catching his opponent's face with his heavy boot. With satisfaction, the immortal heard several bones crack in the aliens face.

No matter what you are, breaking bones, especially those in your head, hurt. Deciding that the alien was, for the moment, sufficiently occupied, Zeus ducked under the volley of enemy fire the masked opponents sent his way and fired back another shot, before crossing the distance to the last group of masked fighters on his side of the crafts.

Luckily, the masked aliens appeared to be henchmen, who were just as sturdy, but a lot less skilled then the unmasked fighters holding his two companions at bay. Just as Zeus thrust the knife he carried on his hip into his last opponent's throat, a flash illuminated the darkening sky, as a pillar of light descended from the sky and cut into where Zeus knew the second alien ship to be.

"_Is anybody still airborn and free? There is something still in space."_

Charon, Hades' son of almost a thousand five hundred, was the first one to answer. He had left their new island several decades ago with his elder mentor, intending on patrolling through Southern America.

"_Zeus. We are pulling up above the clouds to check, but we have only one fighter. We are not going to be able to fight anything up there, even if they are close enough to Earth."_

Startled by the sudden light spectacle, most of the fighting had stopped in the clearing as immortals and aliens alike watched the beam strike into the ground. A scream of pain finally brought Zeus' attention back to the battle raging between the two Goa'uld gliders, though.

His own opponent, moments ago almost incapacitated and disfigured from his broken jaw, was now standing over Zelos, who was screaming in pain as the aliens sharp fingernails dug into his chest. The alien, though, contrary to what Zeus would have expected, appeared just as stunned.

"What are you? He is not ageing." The aliens voice once again carried a threatening, hissing sound with it that made Zeus skin crawl. At the same time, he suddenly understood that Zelos power somehow influenced what the alien was trying to do to him. Just as Zeus prepared to throw his knife, having lost his zat'ni'katel in the scuffle earlier, Iris beat him to it.

At just over a thousand four hundred years, she had been reborn shortly after their defeat of Chronos and was therefore the teams second eldest member, as well as the only one to really be considered completely trained by the elders admittedly harsh standards. Unhesitantly, the relatively young woman thrust both her hands out, one towards her own opponent, one towards the alien standing over Zelos. While her own opponent anticipated an attack and crossed his arm over his chest, the second one seemed obvious to his impending death.

Neither action nor inaction mattered, though, as moments later twin bolts of white light left the woman's hands and violently exploded against the ribcages of both aliens, sending both of them flying and leaving dark blue burn marks and a the foul stench of burnt flesh hanging in the air.

As Zeus hurried back to help Zelos sit up and check on the poor man, the other aliens slowly backed away from the strange creatures with the even stranger powers before they completely broke and ran.

"Don't let them get away to report back," Zeus snapped immediately, sending the two standing immortals flying into the woods and after their fleeing opponents.

"He...He accessed my powers." Zelos' voice was shaky, either from shock or exhaustion, Zeus did not know. Immediately, though, the immoral warrior snapped towards what he thought to be an alien carcass, which suddenly sat back up again and immediately jumped to his feet..

"You're ok?" Seeing Zelos nod and slowly sitting back up on his own, Zeus stood as well.

Zeus thought he knew what to expect from his opponent as he engaged him again, opening the battle with a low punch followed by a kick to the feet. The alien was faster, though, then anything the immortal had ever faced before. Almost carelessly, it stepped and danced out of the way of his punches, never attacking as if to play with him or to bait him.

Zeus took the bait. Reaching into his powers, he allowed the calming infinity to flow through him as he filled his hands with bolts of lightning. Previously, he had killed Jaffa and even Goa'uld instantly with the amount of energy he now unleashed on the strange blue parasite. The alien, though, simply walked through Zeus' attack, completely ignoring his flesh burning away and recovering at the same rate.

Somehow, Zeus knew, the alien had made use of the energy Zelos had available to him and was now converging it to supplement his own body. Strangely enough, though, the abilities seemed almost stronger, or at least more focused then what Zeus had learnt to expect from his own powers. While the alien had, so far, not chaneled any energy outward, its body was clearly strongly enhanced.

Then, without a warning, the alien began to attack. Faster then the immortal could react, even after years of training close combat with Hades, blows rained down on his body from all sides. Desperately, Zeus tried to ward of the right hand carrying the strange slit at least, rightfully deducing it to be of significance to the power transfer.

Zeus quickly was forced to tap heavily as the alien broke through his defence again and again. Every time the alien's strange right hand came close to his body, a shield or a small blast would allow the immortal to gain some temporary distance again. Never, though, did he get the chance to really leash out, as the alien was too fast and too restless in its attacks.

Suddenly, faster then he could fully comprehend, Zeus found himself face down in the mud as the alien's knee pierced into his back. As two hands lowered themselves to Zeus' neck intending on snapping it, a torrent of white unleashed from the edge of the clearing.

Zelos was panting hard as he tapped into his powers. While he could feel his connection to them slowly returning, the former ease with which he had accessed them was still gone, as if he had completely exhausted that which he could access. Now, though, for the first time in his life, the young immortal reached for everything he had still available, and thrust it all out towards the alien. He had seen the ease with which it had shrugged of Zeus' attack, who had a lot better control over his powers then he had.

As the energy crashed into the alien from behind, it was once again sent flying, as his arms, legs and back were disintegrated almost instantly. Sliding over the the forest soil, the alien gave a his of pain as the dirt entered his wounds.

Zelos tumbled on the spot as he tried to regain his breath. Exerting this much energy had tired him out more then he had expected, as if he himself had provided part of the energy he unleashed. Meanwhile, Zeus groaned and sat up groggily, shooting a thankful look to his younger colleague, before rushing over to steady the younger man, completely disregarding his own exhaustion and wounds.

Before he got there, though, a blur passed Zeus and violently picked Zelos up. The alien, already completely recovered from his ordeal, easily held his attacker by the neck as he squeezed, before smiling ferally.

For his time, Zelos was not a small man. Still, the alien easily towered over his one meter sixty frame, and held his body in the air one handed as if he was weightless. At the same time, it drew his other arm back to deliver a devastating punch to its capture's chest. Even from the few steps he was still away, Zeus could hear the ribs break as his companion accelerated rapidly, flying through the clearing. Zelos barely had time to scream before his flight was stopped just as violently against the trunk of a mighty Norweyan Oak. Unmoving, the young immortal's body slid down the trunk and crumbled on the forest ground.

Zeus stopped running immediately, instead brining his hands up in a classical guard position. He knew the alien was going to target him now, and with all his companions engaged in equally important tasks, he was going to have to rely on his own strength to defeat it.

Even prepared, Zeus could not react as the alien lunged forward once more, burying it's fist in his own guts, before spinning around and delivering a kick to his back as he doubled over. Seconds after the third round of their scuttle had started, Zeus was on the ground once again as the alien stalked towards him.

Desperately, Zeus unleashed dozens of bolts of energy to slow his enemy down and gain time to think of a strategy, even as he got back to his feet. His foe, though, simply sidestepped them and rushed forward the moment he was back up.

Instinctively, Zeus brought his arm up, successfully blocking the first strike, before the aliens left hand once more broke through his defence. Briefly, Zeus thought about simply giving up or retreating, but discarded it just as quickly. For once, he still did not know whether or not the alien fully possessed Zelos' powers, and could not allow a foe this dangerous to get away. Additionally, he hoped Iris and Hypnos would return soon to aid him, once they manged to clean up the last of their prey in the forest – if their fight was more successful then his own, at least.

Once again, Zeus pushed himself to his feet, this time holding a shield before himself the moment he did so. With a satisfying clunk, the alien smashed into his protection, even as the immortal strained to hold his protection against the onslaught of pure kinetic energy.

Moments later, the pressure was gone as the alien retreated a step, dancing around the protection Zeus held against it. Before the immortal could relocate his shield, the alien's foot crashed against his knee, violently popping the knee cap out of its socket.

From the ground, Zeus watched helplessly and in pain as his adversary lunged at him, helpless to to anything else.

For the second time that evening, light shone down onto Earth from outer space. This time, though, instead of a single thick and powerful beam, dozens of smaller beams blinked into existence all over the area, lighting up the small forest.

This time, Zeus did not relax and stare until the alien he was fighting was caught in one such beam just as it prepared to lunge forward. The immortal then watched in fascination as the alien was first lifted a few feet of the ground and then slowly disintegrated into his elements top down before he dropped down to the ground, lying flat and panting as he enjoyed the feel of his various scrapes and bruises slowly fading away, the danger passed.

"Zeus! Are you all right?" Iris and Hypnos had broken out of the underwood, clearly having sprinted for a while as they returned to the clearing.

"It was insane," Hypnos panted, although clearly exited, "these lights simply picked up all the aliens and sent them away. We even saw them take a whole ship, just like that."

Iris, meanwhile, had kneeled down next to the downed immortal and tried to help him sit up.

"I'm fine, thanks. Go check on Zelos."

Iris seemed conflicted, but relented once she realized that not only was Zeus her senior by many thousand years and still breathing, he was also already sitting back up on his own already. While Hypnos still babbled through his report, she rushed to her other companion and checked on his pulse, before giving Zeus a shake of her head. Zelos' neck had broken.

Zeus closed his eyes for a moment, sending a prayer to the ancestors. Although he suspected Zelos would return, they had no experience with the strange powers of the aliens and therefore could not know for sure.

"_Zeus? The good news is, who ever is up there is not Goa'uld. The bad news is, there are three ships, and, judging by the debris up there, all three are quiet strong. We found the remains of a small fleet of ships from the other aliens, but non that looked like it once belonged to one of the winner's ships." _Charon reported once he had brought his ship close to the surface again, and Zeus was within range of his mental reach once more.

Nodding, even though the younger man would not be able to see him, Zeus reached out with his own mind. Unable to contact Hermes directly, he finally broadened his reach to all remaining immortals in his reach. _"Can anybody airborn report, please? I can not find Hermes."_

The reply was almost instantaneous, but not from Hermes but from one of the younger immortals in his team. _"Hermes is dead, and so is his wingman. They tried to launch an attack on the ship, but they had energy shields. Hermes' fighter was shredded by the crafts point defence weapons. His wingman managed to pull up in time, but was immediately assaulted by enemy fighters. We had no chance to get to him in time."_

Before Zeus had a chance to more then acknowledge the message, an unknown voice spoke up in the clearing.

"Greetings, friends."

All three remaining immortals were on a hair trigger as they swirled towards the source of the voice. A few steps away, a large, strong, blond man with bright blue eyes, packed in furs, suddenly found three weapons pointed at him. Calmly, the man smiled before lifting his hands, showing them to be empty.

"I am Thor of the Asgard. Might I enquire as to who you are?"

Internally, Zeus cursed as he heard the strangers name. While they had talked about the Goa'uld's more ancient history and wars with Egeria during their years in Shank'anon, the focus of their talks had always been the more recent situation. As a result, Zeus desperately wished for one of the other elders, those who had been reborn before the rebellion in Egypt, to confer with as he mustered the man standing before him. As it was, he was unsure if his memory did not betray him and he doubted any of the youngsters in his group had ever even heard of the Asgard he thought he was remembering.

"I am unfamiliar with the Asgard tribe. Did we intrude in your hunting grounds? If so, I apologize."

The momentary look of surprise and amusement flickering across the man's face confirmed Zeus' intuition. Stepping forward slightly, he slowly, as not to appear threatening, moved his hand towards the mans stomach, and was unsurprised to see it glide through unopposed, leaving behind a quickly restabilizing disturbance.

Before the projection had a chance to react, Zeus continued, "Most impressive. As far as I am aware, the Goa'uld have only just begun experimenting with holographic technology, and have been so far unable to project it any further then a few feet. The ability to alter an image fast enough to create the illusion of a real person is just as impressive, though. I do, however, prefer to speak face to face. Can I assume the three ships in orbit are yours?"

The man seemed to stare at a just over Zeus' left shoulder for a moment before nodding. Moments later, a Iris and Hypnos jumped as a white flash of light filled the clearing and took their leader away.

.

Zeus reappeared in spartan, grey room, surrounded by a dozen or so tall, grey aliens. With his second glance, Zeus took in the rest of the room, the bridge of one of the ships, he realized, and the various stations the aliens were manning, before his eyes fell on the large forward view screen showing the stars above Earth.

Thor watched closely as the human took in the bridge of his ship. While non of the information he could currently obtain held any tactical importance, his first reaction could provide vital clues as to the identity and technological proficiency of the man, as well as his knowledge about Asgard culture. From his comments on the planet, Thor knew the man to be knowledgeable of space, so the Supreme Commander was surprised when the stranger suddenly jumped and became clearly agitated.

"Are we within the confines of lunar orbit?" Zeus was aware his voice was harsher then it should be, but right now, the treaty they had with the Goa'uld was the most important thought on his mind. Briefly, he wondered whether or not his abduction from the planet would be enough to break the treaty, before deciding it probably would not, if he returned swiftly and especially not if the Goa'uld did not find out.

Thor glanced at his officer manning navigational controls for confirmation before he nodded at the man, puzzled as to his behaviour. "We are currently in low orbit above Terra, at about one fifth of the distance to the moon."

Zeus breathed a sign of relieve, before mentally restarting his thoughts and addressing the alien clearly waiting for him, standing in the centre of the bridge.

"I apologize for my lack of manners just now, but there is an important treaty me people hold with the Goa'uld that forbids me from leaving Earth's surface further then the orbit of our moon. May I assume you are Thor?" At the aliens nod, Zeus continued, "I admit, I was a bit startled to suddenly find myself on your ship. I am Zeus."

Thor seemed puzzled as he replied. "Greetings, Zeus. In that case, allow me to apologize for taking you, but it appeared to me to be your wish. Additionally, I wish to apologize for not coming to your aid sooner, but in order to prevent the Wraith from transmitting the location of this planet to their kind, we had to disable our own sensors. It took a moment to initialize secondary systems that were precise enough to target our anti-infantry weaponry."

Zeus blinked once, slowly, as he took in the various pieces of information the alien had just provided for him. "We did not know the aliens were called that. In any case, no apology is necessary. The aid you have provided in our fight is most welcome, and, in fact, saved my live, for my opponent vastly outclassed me. I am in your debt."

Thor blinked once, slowly, the first time since he came on board, as far as Zeus could tell, before he replied.

"If you are unfamiliar with the Wraith, why did you seek them out and fight them?"

Zeus hesitated for a moment, before deciding to place some trust into the alien. The Asgard were, after all, a sworn enemy of the Goa'uld and seemed to be not only technologically advanced, but also highly civilized.

"We have seen the ships go down and went to check whether they were Goa'uld, and whether we could help anybody. The Wraith, however, attacked us immediately up on arrival. At first, we assumed they thought we were the ones who had shot them down, but they ignored our explanations.

Once we had discovered them murdering dozens of innocents in the villages surrounding their ship, though, we began fighting to dispel them. The protection of humanity is the most important point of our existence."

Zeus hesitated for a moment, clearly in doubt whether or not to ask a question, before finally deciding that he had nothing to loose.

"How did you come to Earth? We are very thankful for your assistance, but as far as I am aware, the Asgard live in another galaxy entirely, and even their outposts here in the Milky Way galaxy are quiet far away from Earth."

Thor blinked again, making Zeus think the movement was a sign of emotion from the otherwise perfectly expressionless alien, before answering.

"The Asgard have waited for an invasion by the Wraith for over seven thousand years. Our allies had lost a war against them and fled here, and, before leaving this existence behind, warned us to protect both ourselves and their legacy, the humans."

Zeus started at both the time and the mandate of the Asgard. It seemed eerily familiar to him, even though he quickly discarded the thought as most unlikely, even if they had never found any more indication of the strange old traveller who had visited him and his wife in Shank'anon shortly before Egeria invaded.

"It would seem, then, that our goals are the same, Thor of the Asgard."

.

Iris and Hypnos leaned against a tree, the dead body of Zelos already stacked into one of the fighters, when Zeus reappeared in the clearing a few hours later.

Immediately, both immortals jumped to their feet and rushed over to their leader, where Iris began to question him.

"Where have you been? Hades said not to worry too much when we reported to him, but did not explain why. The area here has been silent, and so has the larger ship. Hades lost four of his people in the first engagement, as well, though. We still have no communications, though."

As the woman finally stopped to take a breath, Zeus held up a hand to gently stop her, before answering.

"Saddle up and return to the island at once. I will follow you as soon as I have alerted the others."

Both immortals knew better then to question the elders orders, so they climbed on board of one of the gliders, even as Zeus closed his mind to reach out. A few minutes later, Zeus' own glider rose up as well as he joined the second group of immortals, those coming from the Hive ship, in their return home.

The moment the second group cleared the airspace above the cruiser, the Ragnarok opened fire in orbit, easily tearing through the smaller Wraith ships's armour and into the power core. In a wave of secondary explosions, the second Wraith ship exploded in a ball of heat and sound.

"_You knew this was going to happen, " _Hades accused his friend as they watched the spectacle behind them.

"_Of course. The main ship is too heavily protected. Destroying it from orbit would mean serious damage to this planet, but the small ship only took another small nudge. This way, we only have to deal with one ship, and a few hundred of these aliens less."_

Persephone, who had quietly listened to her two partners' banter suddenly broke in, shocked.

"_Zeus, did you just say a few hundred? We had problems dealing with just a few dozen of these guys."_

"_I'll explain more as we land, but yes, there are countless of these aliens on board of this ship. According to the Asgard, this ship is a Hive ship, carrying a whole tribe of Wraith."_

As the group set their ships down on the centre of their little island, Zeus raised his hand and let louse a loud thriller, causing the others to turn and look at him.

"Everybody, stay for a moment, please." Once he was sure he had the attention of the whole group, Zeus continued.

"Today, we have made a new enemy. In our first engagement, we have sustained more losses then during the whole fight against Chronos. In fact, the only time we ever lost more of our friends was during the rebellion of Egypt.

The enemy calls themselves the Wraith. They are from the Pegasus nebula, which is a dwarf galaxy in our local cluster, where they have ruled absolutely for over seven thousand years."

Slowly, Zeus could hear murmurs spread through the group as the others began to discuss and question his information.

"The enemy is rich in numbers, and physically stronger then even the Goa'uld. They rely on humans, who have been seeded in their home galaxy millions of years ago, as energy source, normally using a slit like organ on their right hand to introduce a toxin into their victim's body that rapidly breaks up the body's cells as they feed, making their prey age rapidly. Zelos was one such victim, but his powers prevented the alien from actually ageing him. Instead, the alien accessed his powers directly, and grew overproportionately strong. Even together, Zelos and I failed to keep him at bay, and I would have died as well had it not been for the Asgard's intervention.

I am telling you this, because as of right now, the Wraith are our main priority. The danger they pose to the humans of Earth is greater then that of the Goa'uld, since they aim to kill, not to enslave their victims. I do not know how we will fight them, yet, or even if we can.

There are good news, today, as well, though. The smaller of the two ships has already been destroyed. More importantly, however, we have gained a powerful new ally today."

Here, Zeus stopped his speech and reached into the folds of his tunic, pulling out a small crystal.

The moment his fist fully curled around it, a white flash blended the immortals momentarily, leaving Thor standing on the small rise Zeus had chosen to speak from.

"Welcome, Thor, to our island. These are my friends and family. Friends, this is Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet. I wanted you to see an Asgard, once, so you are able to recognize our new friends."

.

After a, to Thor, at least, surprisingly short service to the fallen members of the strange group, in which the recoverable bodies had been burned, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon settled down with Thor to discuss future tactics against the Wraith.

Despite being used to the hygienic and grey environment of an Asgard battle ship, Thor seemed at ease in the small hut, Zeus' home, which the four elder beings had chosen for their conference. Sitting on one of the chairs Zeus had provided for him, the alien inspected the various trinkets the immortal had collected and created throughout his live.

Prominent in the room, on the mantel piece above a small, so far unused fireplace, an eagle in flight and a brown wolf flanked a pale white sphere and an equally pale white wolf. Curiously, Thor turned to his companion.

"Do these have a special meaning? Are they of religious nature, perhaps?"

Zeus smiled sadly as he came to a stop next to the larger alien, his eyes never leaving the two figures in the centre.

"No. Most of us do not believe in any graspable entity you could classify as god or gods, but merely in a power much larger then we are, an infinite energy, that permeates the universe and provides life with energy and safeguards it. These figures are merely personal memoria of the people I lost in my life – my mentor, wife and son, as well as a memento of the past and where I came from."

As Thor continued to study both the figures, seemingly even more intrigued then before, Zeus reached out to his two companions.

"_We have a choice to make. How much do we actually tell him? I have not said anything directly, but he might suspect quiet a bit. Possibly, the Asgard can even help us to understand what we are, exactly."_

The moment both Hades and Poseidon agreed to reveal their nature to their new ally, Thor spoke up as well.

"That is a curious believe, but it is also one I have heard before. Do you know how your forefathers came to believe so?"

Poseidon stepped up to the group as well, talking quietly. "They did not. We are the first to believe so here on Earth, which has a very specific reason. However, for now, we have more pressing things to attend to. Afterwards, if you are interested, we will gladly tell you our story and hear your opinion on it. We do not yet understand it completely ourselves."

Thor nodded slightly, before retaking his seat. "Very well, then. I trust Zeus has already informed you as to the nature of our new enemy, so let me get to our current situation straight away.

My flagship, the Ragnarok, as well as her two escorts, have successfully waylaid the Wraith as they came out of hyperspace. Unfortunately, their Hive ship has been, contrary to our information, equipped with an energy shielding to supplement the already sturdy hull, which prevented us from completely destroying the thing in space, or here on Earth.

We did, however, manage to critically damage their propulsion system. Scans we made during their entry into the planet's atmosphere indicate that the system is too damaged to properly regenerate. This Hive is not going to go anywhere. During their descend, they launched all three of their cruisers, as well as a majority of the fighters they had available, all of which have since been destroyed.

To prevent them from communicating with the rest of their kind in the Pegasus galaxy, the Sigyn is currently projecting a subspace interdiction field. Theoretically, it should prevent them from using their scanners as well, but we have no way to confirm this, currently. On the other hand, our own long-range communications are equally inhibited. As a short term solution, we have launched a repeater drone to the edge of the field, which enables me to communicate with the rest of the High Council. Ideally, though, I would like to reenable communications as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the Wraith Hive ship is heavily protected by its shield and hull. Our attempt to destroy is has not only failed, but also damaged this planets ecosystem. Another attempt would be discouraged."

Hades nodded along with the alien's explanation. "OK, so we can not attack him from space. Unless your fighters are vastly superior to ours, an assault that way would be suicide. Do you have any alternative means of attacking? Explosive devices, for example, that might be powerful enough to penetrate their shields?"

Thor tilted his head slightly. "An interesting proposition. We have several devices on anti-matter and on fusion basis that have a high enough yield to cause significant damage to their system. Unfortunately, their energy shield prevents us from beaming the devices directly inside. From the outside, most of the damage would be deflected. Enough devices in quick succession might still penetrate the shield and even destroy the vessel, but the reflected energy would be impossible to calculate with a sufficient precision. In any case, the devices would devastate the area in a large radius. To achieve a sufficient damage, we would have to be prepared to either relocate or annihilate all live on that continent. Of course, uncontrolled secondary explosions within the ship might cause further damage."

Collectively, all three immortals gulped, before Hades summed their thought up quiet nicely. "Well, let's keep that one as plan N, shall we?"

Thor fixed the man with a curious look. "I do not understand, Hades. What does N stand for."

The former infiltrator grinned at the alien. "Plan Never, of course, as in never, ever will we attempt that one."

Zeus rolled his eyes at his friends lame attempt to heighten the mood, while at the same time leaning forward slightly. "So, gentleman, the only other thing I could come up with would be a ground assault. How would we do this?"

While Hades and Poseidon tried to recall the landscape around the ship to identify possible entrance points, Thor immediately shook his head.

"The enemy possesses significant numbers. The Asgard have not had any ground troops for many thousand years, and any form of enlistment would be met with heavy opposition. Additionally, the Wraith are physically superior to the Asgard in almost any way. We have no way to match them in ground combat."

Although both Zeus and Poseidon frowned as well, it was Hades who actually spoke up.

"We can more then hold our own, as well, you know. This is our fight as much, or even more so then yours."

Thor stared at Hades unblinkingly, his black eyes seemingly inspecting every inch of the human's face.

"The human physic is just as inferior as the Asgard's. That you managed to hold out against the patrol today is most impressive, but if I recall, you took quiet heavy losses in both locations. Also, you have nowhere near the numbers to actually threaten the Wraith."

Hades opened his mouth to protest, but a quick look from Zeus, as well as a mental nudge, shut him up, although he sent a questioning look back.

"Do you have a better idea, then? Just allowing the Wraith to have their way on Earth is out of the question." The eldest immortal asked instead of answering Hades' look.

Nodding curtly, Thor laid a small stone on the table, before gliding his hand along the surface. Immediately, a three dimensional representation of the Wraith ship and its surroundings filled the surface.

"Currently, three ships of the Asgard's presence in this galaxy are in position above Earth, while the rest are on alert should we register any more ships or should we need help here. The Wraith's shield prevents us from attacking their hive ship, but the moment they leave their ship, we can easily pick them of and destroy them.

Our scans before their crash show that their engines are completely destroyed. Additionally to the damage the Geirölul did to their subspace engines, their flight here completely burned out the hyperdrive coils.

The shield they are using is not of their own design. As a result of the makeshift build-in, the drain of the shield on their reactor is great. Therefore, my scientists presume that their energy supply should last them a finite amount of time, while the Asgard ships can easily refuel over time. Since the ship has crashed in a remote area, the danger of detection is slim, especially so once we set up additional protections, such as holographic projectors.

I propose we set up a more localized black-out field using relay stations on these four mountains to enable our sensors and communications."

Here, the alien indicated to four mountain tops in equal distance around the Wraith ship on his map, well out of their shields.

"Afterwards, we simply wait out until the Wraith either starve to death, destroy themselves in their fight for the remaining food supplies, or loose their main energy. Then, we can easily pick them up with our space-to-ground weaponry."

Zeus, Hades and Poseidon shared a glance, before Poseidon grinned. "Well, no fight means no danger, and I like that. What time frame are we talking about here, until we starve them out? Also, why did you even need us?"

"My scientists estimate the reactor will last another four to six hundred years. We do not know their technology, though, so it might be longer. I am here because, as you pointed out before, this is more your fight then it is mine, so I wished to include the humans in any plan we initiate. As you were the only ones who had noticed the Wraith, or appeared advanced enough to understand them, I came to you."

While both Hades and Zeus thought about the aliens reason, and tried to guess which consequences their real nature would have on his decision, Poseidon concentrated on the first point discussed.

"That is a long time. Are you sure you will be available this long? This plan relies on the continuos presence of Asgard ships in the atmosphere. What will happen when you need the ships elsewhere, or when a new administration decides to give our situation less priority."

Thor actually seemed confused by the question for a moment, before his eyes sparkled in realization and amusement.

"The Asgard High Council, our highest executive organ, consists of the leading experts in their various fields. As such, the same members have held power for seven thousand years, when we had sufficiently developed our cloning technology. Even should we ever be replaced, either due to death or through popular vote, both are theoretically possible, but highly unlikely giving current developments, as Supreme Commander of the Fleet, and thereby highest ranking member of our military, I can leave standing orders my successor has to follow.

So do not fear, even if the ships in orbit were needed, I can guarantee you enough time for us to implement any of the discussed alternatives, or anything else we might come up with, at least."

"What is cloning?" Poseidon's question cut of Zeus, who had just opened his mouth as well.

"It is a form of artificial reproduction. We grow new bodies on the base of our current ones, to transfer our consciousnesses into."

"You use a form of asexual reproduction on the basis of accelerated stem cell groth to constantly regrow new bodies instead of dying? That seems...unwise. Given enough time, I can think of numerous problems here." Poseidon's voice was clearly sceptical.

Thor seemed surprised the human had understood their concept this quickly, even as Zeus and Hades nodded in assent.

"Our scientists have put various safeguards into place. The process has been tested, deemed safe, and successfully in use for many thousand years. I can assure you it is safe. You are a lot more advanced then I would have thought, initially. I did not expect you to know about genetic engineering."

"Well, if you say so." Poseidon finally murmured, before continuing loud. "Biology has been a matter of interest in our research for a while. The question what we are, and why we are what we are, holds a special fascination in all of us."

Before Thor had a chance to process the information, Zeus rerouted the conversation to its inital purpose.

"Anyways, so we can be sure of the Asgard's continuous presence here. That does leave me with only one concern. You said earlier that the Wraith were extremely powerful. What prevents them from sending more ships here, to rescue their comrades and reattack this planet."

"I have thought about that, as well, " Thor replied, "and inspected the database we have been left on the Wraith. In fact, I had wondered why they had not sent more ships, already. Apparently, they are a tribal-like society, without a central from of government, and with a most fragile peace in place between them. It is unlikely that this Hive has shared the location of this galaxy with the rest of its kind, thereby giving up a major advantage. Additionally, the hyperdrive they used to get here is clearly Alteran in origin. It is likely the Hive could only get here because they managed to salvage this ship from their former enemies.

The Alteran were the ones to warn us about the Wraith, and to provide us with information on them, even if they have long since left this existence behind. They had only few ships unaccounted for when they left Pegasus galaxy, so it is unlikely many more ships will come. If they do, though, the Asgard fleet will be ready and answer in force. The Moros network will inform us sufficiently ahead of time."

Both Hades and Zeus had simultaneously leaned forward upon hearing the last sentence.

"The Moros network?" Zeus' question carried both curiosity, as well as a hint of longing.

"Yes. It is a network of satellites the Asgard have installed on the edge of this galaxy, as well as in the empty space beyond, to inform us should the Wraith arrive here. It is named after Moros, the leader of the Alteran people when they returned here from Pegasus, to honour his contribution to the reinstatement of our alliance, as well as the help he has given our people."

"These Alterans, " Hades asked, "they were aliens, right? Would they have the technology to look like humans?"

Thor blinked once, before answering calmly. "They would not need to. The Alterans formed the humans from their image when they left them behind to repopulate this galaxy. From the outside, there is no conceivable difference difference between the average Alteran and a human."

Zeus became completely serious immediately. "So this Moros: A guy about my hight; Caucasians; elderly; silver grey hair; strong shoulders; wise, blue eyes?"

"I uploaded a complete first contact set onto this crystal, including a historical database of the Asgard." Thor explained as he waved his hand over the small stone on the table once again. At once, the landscape disappeared and an the upper body of a man appeared, matching the description Zeus had given. "This is Moros of the Alterans. Why? How can you know him? I was under the impression humans could live for sixty to seventy years at most. Moros has been gone for thousands of years."

Seeing his friend shell-shocked, Hades leaned over and gently laid a hand on the other immortal's shoulder. "Zeus?"

"Yeah, it's him. That is the man who came to Shank'anon, the only one who ever gave us any clue as to what we are."

For the first time, Poseidon could see curiosity on the alien's face as Thor leaned forward in his seat to fix Zeus with his eyes. "I believe it is time you told me exactly what you are."

"Where and when I was born, " Zeus began, "it was custom to rename a man once he showed a defining trait. My birth parents named me Little Bear, but before I reached adulthood, my village was attacked and slaughtered. I had been out hunting, but returned just in time to see the end of it. That day, everything changed. For the first time, I tapped into a power that was far greater then anything I had ever experienced before as I tried to protect a little girl and her mother. I died, and came back, stronger then before, with powers beyond my understanding.

We still burn our dead to free their souls, and allow them to return faster. After the first time, it usually takes a couple of years.

All that was almost seven thousand years ago, even before the Goa'uld extended the reach of their domains on this planet beyond Egypt. Others have appeared since who were just like me – self-sacrificing, powerful, and unable to die. We have banded together and tried to help the innocent ever since.

Near the beginning of my live, when it was just my wife and me, a stranger appeared in our home. He told us his name was Moros, told us about the others who would come eventually, told us about our powers, and disappeared again before we had a chance to process it.

We fought the Goa'uld in secret for a long time, and eventually managed to find an ally in their Queen Egeria. Together, we finally ended the snakes' supremacy over Egypt, and later on beat back their second attempt to invade."

Thor asked plenty of questions, and the trio attempted to answer them to the best of their abilities, until, finally, late that night, Thor leaned back in his chair and relaxed.

"If Moros charged you with your task, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, our tasks are, in fact, the same. Therefore, it will be in the Asgard's best interest to support you in any way we can, and that most especially means teaching you everything we know and supplying you with what you need to grow."

The next morning, dozens of Asgard beamed down onto the planet and began to teach the immortals about Physics, Chemistry and Biology, as well as Galactic History, Philosophy, and everything else that could be useful, or caught their fancy.

.

**AN:** OK, so I am curious. Is it really that important to write 'Review, Please' under each chapter? The one time I did, I got more reviews (3), then in all other chapters combined (2).

Also, the next chapter might take a while. I want to get a good start on the one after that, just in case I have to go back to make things fit. Don't worry, though, the Wraith are not done yet.


	14. 14 Deus ex Machina

**Chapter 13: Deus ex Machina**

_750 AD, Ida Galaxy, Planet Hel, Asgard Research Facility_

Delling signed as he inspected the small, metallic blocs lying before him. He had just returned from Earth, where he had worked with Hermes and Charon on creating a swarm intelligence for the autonomous deep-sea mining probes the immortals had developed to rectify their resource problem.

Like every teacher, Delling watched with delight as his pupils' mind grew and their innovations began to work. Before coming to Earth, initially reluctant but forced by an order of the High Council to promote their alliance, a century and a half before, the Asgard had been warned by his peers in the scientific community to expect the humans to surpass any expectation he had and to overcome any obstacle he put in their way.

Intially, Thor and the other Asgard had expected their new pupils to have problems accepting the larger truths about life the Asgard had discovered over the millenia. At best, they had hoped to enable them to build some solid stone structures on their island, and maybe even find a way to get running water into each home. A hundred years later, maybe, a skilled teacher might manage to start them on a path of enlightenment, ultimately leading them to question their surroundings and maybe even begin scientific research.

Once again, the alien had greatly underestimated his new allies. Within a week, Zeus had carefully taken the Supreme Commander aside and politely asked him if he and the other volunteers could either stop treating them like children, or at least leave them alone so they could continue shaping their home to their own expectations.

Sufficiently chidden, Thor formally requested several scientists from the Sigyn to begin giving courses on the basics of their chosen fields, careful not to simply lecture their pupils, but to allow them to work things out themselves. While disgruntled at first, the aliens beaming down to the surface each day quickly began looking forward to working with their new charges as they discovered them to be extremely eager to learn and quick in their uptake.

Within half a decade, they had covered the basic education each Asgard received during their childhood and began splitting up in various groups, each one specializing in a different field of learning.

Only now did the immortals' true potential begin to shine through. Each night, when their teachers returned to their ships to retire to bed, the elders especially would make use of their mental connections to efficiently share what they had learnt that day. As a result, the various disciplines began to fuse, creating completely new fields and leading to various breakthroughs.

Within a century, the first groups began catching up with the Asgard's own knowledge as the immortals began actually building machinery as well as data processing units.

A hundred and fifty years after their first contact, humans and Asgard began working as full-fledged partners for the first time, forming joined committees to explore various phenomenon and further develop their technology. As a result, the respect the two races had for each other grew steadily, before finally evolving into a deep friendship.

When Delling finally left Earth, he was as sorry to leave as he had been to come. Not only had he found wonderful friends in both Charon and Hermes, the discussions the three had had also brought his own research centuries ahead.

Now, though, the High Council, which not only governed all Asgard, but also financed his own projects, had ordered him to the research outpost on Hel. Their archeologists had uncovered a highly-advanced, self-replicating technology that promised to revolutionize their manufacturing plants, combining mining, processing and assembly into a single unit.

After glancing at the small heap of silver blocks in the centre of the laboratory, Delling leaned down to read the summary the other scientists had written on their findings so far, as they studied the physical makeup of the blocks.

Curiously, each block seemed to made up of a different kind of material, at least slightly, leading the scientists to believe that they had been manufactured in rapid succession, but independently of each other, with whatever material was currently available, although one scientists also theorized they might be rapidly developing as they experiment with different alloys.

Skimming further down, Delling finally found what he was looking for – information on energy and data conduct between the blocks. Their scans had found a large number of keron pathways throughout each unit, which had immediately begun firing when they introduced new kerons to a single block. First scans indicated the pulsing might be some sort of binary code, although no real algorithms could be identified as of yet.

That was what Delling was here for. His work on swarm intelligence with the immortals had made him uniquely qualified to analyze the results of their next stage of tests. Since a single block was, of course, unable to function, they would reactivate multiple ones, hoping to restore function to a complete base unit.

After fitting the last of the small plastic wrappers around the block, Delling finally hurried to the other scientists in a separate room. The wrapper served as an analyzing tool, recording and transmitting the keron transmission between the blocks to their computers, as well as as an emergency shutdown, capable of blocking keron particles, thereby separating the blocks once again.

"OK. Everything is ready. Initialize the shield."

With a few taps on the console in front of him, his fellow scientist activated a pale blue energy shielding directly behind the specifically hardened wall. Their archeologists had recently found artifacts that suggested the blocks before them were not, as they had first thought, part of the legacy of the civilization on the planet, but in fact had come here with an unknown attacker, completely wiping out a post-industrialized culture in a worryingly short period of time.

Briefly, the High Council had debated to abort the test. In the end, though, the possible gain from understanding this technology had overweight their concerns. Instead, the small research outpost had been outfitted with energy shielding, Trinium walls and blast doors, and a powerful self-destruct. Privately, Delling thought the last one to be over the top, but as long as nobody used it, he was not going to complain.

"Release the kerons."

Immediately after his command, Delling could see the two dozen blocks on the small platform assembling, while the various screens began flashing through the data recorded by the probes. Within moments, the blocks had formed four legs and a body, allowing the machine to travel throughout the small room it was held in.

"What do you think it is doing?" Delling jumped a little when he heard the other scientists voice behind him, having been focused on observing the bug walk throughout the room.

"I am not sure. Most likely, it is scouting the area, maybe for a task, message from others or simply an exit. I don't know."

Turning to the monitor, Delling finally began working, quickly scrolling through the recorded data, while mumbling under his breath.

"Initialization. Scanning for other blocks. Connecting. This is most interesting." The alien's excitement quickly permeated the room as more and more analysts began scrolling through the code. Within moments, the attention of every single Asgard was on the various screens.

A loud clonk finally had half a dozen heads snapping up, just in time to see the little bug crashing into the reenforced walls a second time.

"What is it doing?" Delling had not even waited for the other scientists question, but had already jumped ahead in the code to the last run programs.

"It is executing various aggression subroutines. Turn of the keron field. We have what we need, for now. No need to take the risk."

As the technician accessed the laboratory's particle generator, Delling watched the strange machine finally giving up running into the walls, before coming to a stop right before their observation window.

"What is taking so long?" Annoyed, the head scientists turned back to the technician, only to find starring at his console in confusion.

"The generator is shut down, sir. It should not be working any more. I do not understand."

Delling's eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise, before he turned back to the monitor. "Amazing. It is actually capable of sustaining its own existence, once it has been initialized."

At the same time, though, a hiss drew Delling's attention back to the bug. In horror, the scientists watched as the reinforced metal barrier, one of the strongest materials they knew, simply melted under a thin spray of acid.

"Where is it getting this acid from? What acid is that? That is impossible!" Delling seemed honestly confused for a moment, before finally finding his nerves.

"Initializing emergency protocols. Blocking its pathways, now!" In the centre of the room, a large, bright yellow button clearly marked the emergency shutdown. The moment Delling hit it, the two screens showing the data currently being transmitted shut down. The bug did not stop moving, though.

"What is happening?"

The same technician was the first one to answer Delling's question. "The sensors are not transmitting anymore, sir. It would appear they have been destroyed. Probably a protection algorithm of that thing. If it can get through the wall, a bit of plastic should not be a problem."

Delling cursed out loud, before fixing the small bug with a look. In satisfaction, he realized that the wall was at least slowing that thing down, even if it would give out eventually.

"Activate the automated defence system. Sterilize the room. This thing is dangerous."

Tipping into the console before him, Delling finally turned around once again. "I need a second authorization for the weapons control."

The head scientist watched as their military observer typed in his access code. Not for the first time, he was thankful that the Asgard the High Council had sent for them was not too annoying, having worked with plenty of bureaucrats insisting on wanting to be informed about every little step. This man, on the other hand, was content to get the summary afterwards, and simply observe during any experiments, while also quick to jump in and help out.

As a small whine announced the charging of the rooms security system, Delling signed internally. While the data they had collected would be useful, and was enough to advance them significantly, he almost regretted destroying this advanced piece of technology. Most likely, they could have learnt lots more from this thing.

Asgard ion weapons were primarily used for ship to ship combat. For rare cases, though, the high council had ordered the development of a smaller version for inner-atmospheric, mobile use during their war against the Goa'uld and their armies. One such cannon had been mounted in the upper corner of the laboratory and was now targeting the bug, before spitting out three short, bright white pulses of high-energy ions.

Delling watched in horror as the energy washed over the strange creature, which seemed completely unfazed. It might have even sped up a little bit, either from the additional energy now available, or simply due to the scientists imagination.

"It is through the blast wall, approaching the energy shield now." The technician's voice sounded both amazed and panicked at the same time, which was an emotion Delling had before thought to be impossible, but now understood very well.

"Evacuate now!" As head scientist, Delling was officially in charge of the facility, and therefore responsible for the safety of the other Asgard. Even as he heard the technician initializing the alert, Delling punched in his security code for the self-destruct, suddenly a lot more thankful for the High Council's indistance. The high-yield anti-matter bomb should take care of any problem they left behind, here. With quick, trained movements, Delling finally activated the countdown, setting the timer for thirty seconds. Since he was able to simply teleport out, he did not want to give the thing a chance to get away.

"It is simply walking through the energy shielding. Oh universe, that wall is not holding out." Delling halted his hand abruptly just before activating his own transporter beacon as he heard the voice of the technician behind him, before looking around the room.

"You are supposed to have beamed out."

The young Asgard actually appeared rebuked for a moment, before visibly steeling himself.

"I just wanted to help you, sir."

"Go!" Delling shouted as he finally saw the last wall dissolving from the bugs devastating acid, leaving the strange creature standing in their small lab. For a moment, all three occupants of the room froze, before moving at the same time. While the technician finally reached for his transporter, the strange creature rapidly uncoiled its legs, launching itself towards the young Asgard.

Delling did not hesitate. For years, he had lived with the immortals of Earth, who had all sacrificed their lives to protect an innocent. Following his friends example, the head scientist used his own body to stop the bug's flight, feeling its mechanical feet digging deeply into his skin.

Before he had a chance to cry out in pain, though, the whole complex dissolved into a ball of light as the anti-matter bomb exploded.

Ten kilometres up, on the bridge of the Asgard science vessel Nerthus, Captain Rota watched the facility blink out of existence.

"Do we have everybody?"

"No ma'am. Head Scientist Delling was still in the complex. Sensor logs show he had engaged the bug in close combat and could not reach his beacon in time."

Rota closed her eyes in frustration. During a evacuation like this one, where the refugees often had to accomplish one last task, protocol prevented rescuers from initializing the transport themselves, least they prevent them from fulfilling a vital last duty. In this case, it cost an Asgard his live. With his body that throughly destroyed, they would not have a cell to scan for the cloning process, let alone a conscience they could transfer into the new body.

"Has anything survived down there? Is that damn bug dead, at least?" Rota had watched from her bridge as the experiment was conducted.

"Scans do not show any remaining alien constructs." Her science officer finally reported. "There is significant debris from the outer parts of the facility, but nothing close to the blast centre under the laboratory. Be advised, though, that the radiation from the explosion causes an unproportionally high error rate in the scanners.

Rota frowned for a moment, before sitting down in her chair.

"Very well, I will advise the High Council to sent another ship in a few days, just to make sure. For now, though, they will want out report in person, as soon as possible. Navigation, set course for Othala."

Two hours later, a small, mechanical bug reappeared on the surface of the debris field. Another day later, dozens more joined the creature exploring the surface of the planet. A week later, when an Asgard cruiser finally arrived in orbit around the planet, they were delighted to find the stations transport shuttle in orbit and did not hesitate to open their hangar to let it in, assuming its Com system to be damaged.

Once inside, the Replicators efficiently tore through the Asgard crew while taking command of the ship's systems.

.

_850 AD, Milky Way Galaxy, Earth orbit_

Thor stood from his chair as the Ragnarok decelerated from hyperspace. As the largest ship available, they had been running back and forth between the various planets under Asgard protection in the Milky Way Galaxy, ferrying whole villages to other planets.

The plan had originated in a late night discussion between him and Zeus, speculating what would have happened to humanity had the Asgard not arrived to contain the Wraith. From there, it went to a meteoroid crashing on Earth, wiping out the majority of the remaining free humans, those not under Goa'uld suppression in some form.

Thor had shuddered inwardly as they discussed that scenario. A natural catastrophe like that one would be hard to predict in time for the Asgard to interfere, and almost impossible for their human friends to prevent.

The next morning, Thor had all but forgotten about the talk, feeling thankful they had arrived in time and had saved humanity. Zeus, though, had approached him once again, having thought up an interesting contingency plan.

In the harsh wilderness around the Wraith ship in northern Europe, hundreds of villages fought for survival against the cold every day. Descending in a beam of white light, Thor once again employed the projection he had first met Zeus with, as he offered the humans a chance at another live.

Predictably, most humans were startled and sceptical at first, but Thor appeared regularly, and used his heavenly powers, or better yet the Sigyn's technological powers, to aid the villagers in their survival.

Not everybody wanted to go, but over the next century, the density of population around the Wraith decreased dramatically as the Asgard established humans on a dozen or so safe worlds throughout Milky Way. The Goa'uld protested the treaty at first, but the promise of a more lasting peace with the vastly superior Asgard easily brought them around.

The shipment he had just completed finally established a fifty kilometre quarantine radius around the Wraith ship. In the past, the relocation had already proven useful as dozens of darts had left the ship at once, temporarily overwhelming the Asgard's weaponry and secondary scanners through sheer numbers, each one placing a number of drones the moment the Asgard targeted them. By the time they had gotten to the last group, the Wraith had managed to make their wake to the small settlement closest to their Hive, which the Asgard had evacuated only moths before.

"Supreme Commander. The Sigyn reports that the rest of the High Council asks you to contact them as soon as we clear hyperspace."

Thor signed as he made his way to the holographic chamber he used for Council sessions. Actually being able to see the others as if they were in the same room was a great advantage for any kind of discussion, but the sheer amount of data needed for such a transmission meant that the chamber could not be used in hyperspace. For more pressing messages, standard screen to screen communication was therefore essential.

"Supreme Commander Thor, thank you for joining us. Have you had a chance to review the documents on the recent development of the Replicator situation yet?"

The moment the room initialized, causing the alien to appear on his seat amongst his peers, Odin, the elected chairman of the group, addressed him.

"No." Thor confessed. "My last mission had been long and exhausting. The last group of humans has been more frightened then usual and required constant supervision during transit. I used the journey back to catch up on some sleep."

Odin nodded his head, quiet aware of the strain the Council duties alone put on him. Thor, on the other hand, had opted to continue his normal duties as well, commanding his flagship, coordinating fleet movement of the Milky Way fleet and serving as ambassador to their new human allies. At least, he had left the Ida fleet to one of his Commanders to free up some time.

"Allow me to brief you, then. As you might remember, we lost contact with one of our cruisers as it examined the wreckage of the Hal research outpost. The last communication suggested that they might have encountered survivors, but no confirmation has been found at this point.

The small task force led by Commander Balder a week later found no trace of the cruiser. They noted, however, that the amount of debris on the surface does not match the scans made by the survivors of the self-destruct, or simulations of the explosion. The matter was laid to rest as a mystery shortly thereafter, however, when no suitable explanation could be found.

Two weeks ago, a small Trinium mining colony in the in the outer rim called for help, stating they were being attacked by an Asgard military cruiser not responding to their calls. The sector fleet reacted quickly and managed to confront the enemy in orbit.

IFF identified the cruiser was the one that had gone missing over Hal. When the ship failed to respond to hailing attempts and instead continued firing at the colony, killing civilians, Commander Aegir who led the fleet, ordered the ship to be destroyed.

Sensor logs indicate that the ships systems had been severely upgraded, causing the shields to easily absorb our opening volley. In return, they launched several kinetic projectiles at dozens of the ships and opened fire with the onboard weapon.

The fleet presumed the projectiles to be some kind of distraction and ignored them, instead focusing on evading their ion pulses. The missiles, however, proofed to be far more dangerous, easily passing through the ships shields and impacting the hull. From there, they reformed into dozens bug-like creatures we found on Hall, and ate through the hull, rapidly infiltrating the ships systems.

Commander Aegir managed to beat back the intruders on his ship by opening various sections of his ship to the space, creating a powerful suction. By the time he had informed the rest of the fleet, though, the enemy had already captured two more ships, completely disabling the crews control over vital systems.

The remaining ships retreated on Aegir's orders, while the Commander heroically remained behind in his ship, rescuing the survivors from the surface and out of the launched rescue pots before fleeing as well.

Since then, various convoys and transports have been waylaid between our colonies. The bugs seem to replicate rapidly, thus their name, and efficiently use our own ships against us. As emergency measures, the Council has decided to put the whole fleet on alert. Ships have been sent to every major planet, while minor outposts have been ordered to begin evacuations. Civilians have been advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary, and even then to join fleet convoys for additional protection."

Thor had listened patiently throughout the report, but now seemed to grow angry, at least for an Asgard.

"Why have I not been informed of this before? Every act of war committed against the Asgard should be immediately brought to the attention of the whole council, and especially to the Supreme Commander. That you ordered the fleet without even consulting me is outrageous."

Thor could see a few heads on the council nodding in agreement, leading him to believe the topic had been one discussed in previous sessions, before. Odin, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the others resentment and focused on Thor.

"Your current mission has been given a high priority, as well. The Wraith situation has to be resolved before you can return to Ida galaxy to properly take command of the fleet, and the movement of the humans is important. Now that this is over, we have informed you immediately. Additionally, however, the situation has worsened progressively. Barring the initial confrontation, there has not been a single, defining moment that would have immediately justified your presence. Your Commanders are more then competent and we presumed this to be a minor inconvenience, at best."

Finally, Thor nodded his head in agreement, although he still seemed displeased.

"Very well, then. What is our current tactical situation?"

Commander Aegir stepped before the council on a wave of Odin's hand.

"Apart from their own cruiser, the Replicators managed to capture two more cruisers in the initial confrontation, and a capital ship in a subsequent raids. Furthermore, nine major civilian ships are still unaccounted for, all of them lightly armed. Smaller, personal vessels appear to be unappealing to the attackers.

Currently, the fleet is protecting the core worlds, so the situation is stable. We are, however, too far spread to hunt them down without exposing the civilian population."

"Thank you, Commander." As Thor dismissed the Commander, he began analyzing several possible responses to the new threat, before finally addressing the whole council himself.

"Since the situation is, so far, stable, leaving here too hastily seems unwise. The travel to the Ida galaxy takes three weeks, anyways, so rapid response from the Milky Way fleet is impossible. Instead, I recommend delaying our departure here for another few days until we manage to wrap up the Wraith situation. Then, this fleet can hunt down the enemy. As long as the Goa'uld do not know we are gone, there should not be a problem."

As the rest of the council gave their blessing, Odin peered at Thor intently.

"Hurry, Supreme Commander. We are currently safe, but so far, we have not won a single battle against the enemy. We desperately need a victory, not only for the people's moral, but also to proof the enemy is beatable. They are growing steadily."

Thor nodded his head in agreement, before turning to leave the chamber.

"Oh, and please sent me a copy all records we have relating to this crisis. I would like to review them, and share them with our friends here before we leave."

.

In a flash of white light, Thor appeared in the centre of the small island the immortals had chosen as their home. Without stopping to take a look around, he made his way to where he had first learnt their secret, the home of Zeus.

Many years ago, during a major remodelling of the island, the small hut had been replaced by a larger, if still somewhat spartan brick house, including a large basement filled with various experiments and innovations.

Now, though, as Thor was about to open the front door to call out to his friend, a younger immortal stopped him.

"Zeus is not in." Seeing the alien's questioning and impatient look, the youngster hurried to explain further. "He and Hades are patrolling around the Wraith ship, checking out the area and making sure the black-out probes are running as expected."

Thor nodded in understanding, before thanking the young man. Many of the immortals, especially the elder ones, would regularly travel to the crash site to service and maintain the security hardware they had installed three centuries ago, despite the Asgard's assurance they would continue to work fine no matter what.

In a way, Thor could understand their eagerness to do so. Not only could a mistake here cause severe problems, including, as a worst case scenario, a large-scale Wraith invasion into the Milky Way galaxy, it also allowed them to contribute something to the protection of their home.

Now though, it meant they were unavailable to talk, which was completely unacceptable to the alien.

"Ragnarok, this is Thor."

Immediately, a voice echoed out of the small stone Thor had spoken into as the technician replied to his call.

"This is the Ragnarok. Go ahead, Supreme Commander."

"Please locate Zeus and Hades around the Wraith ship and transport them directly to me. It's urgent."

Even as the technician confirmed the order, two white pillars of light appeared on the town square, leaving the two man in question standing slightly hunched over. Years of honed instincts and teamwork proofed to be effective, though, as they both immediately dropped and moved to cover each other, bringing up their arms to protect themselves.

The moment their shields finally flickered into existence, completing the routine, Thor could finally see their eyes clear as they took in their surroundings and saw their home, as well as him standing and watching them amusedly.

"I apologize for taking you unaware. We have a situation, though, that could not wait."

Of course, the dramatical arrival of the two eldest and arguably most important immortals had alerted the whole town, bringing many of the inhabitants out into the streets to watch the proceedings curiously.

Both Hades and Zeus nodded in understanding, their faces going from blank – an usual side effect of connecting to an infinite void – to curious and serious, as Thor began to brief them on the situation in his home galaxy.

"You see, we need to deal with Wraith. My people desperately need these ships, but I gave you my word, the Wraith are a priority of ours as well."

Zeus nodded in understanding. "Very well, but we will need a plan. Do you have ideas?"

"One." Thor admitted. "Before transporting down, I took the liberty to review our latest sensor data from the Hive ship. It would appear they are starting to have energy problems, and have therefore shut down half of their shield. Only the parts of the ship above ground is still protected."

"So bombardment from space and aerial assault are still discouraged, but we might be able to dig out way to the hull." Hades remarked.

"Yes, but digging would take too much time and might alert them, even if we use technology." Thor replied immediately. "Instead, I propose we use the small lake the ship has originally watered in, diving into the ship. The starboard hangar appears to open to the water and should provide us with a perfect access route."

Nodding, Zeus inspected the plans the alien had once again holographically provided for them. "Very well, that might just work. What do we do once we are inside?"

"Blow it up, of course." Ares' suggestion, thrown in from the sideline, was as simple as it was violent. Hades dismissed it instantly, though.

"We had already discussed that, at the very beginning. If we simply blow it up, we risk transforming northern Europe into a new Ocean."

"If you managed to deactivate their shields, and maybe their main generators, as well, the Ragnarok should be able to use a concentrated burst of her primary weapon to breach the hull. Then, her anti-infantry weapons should be able to disintegrate the ship."

"That's a lot of shoulds and ifs. Are you sure it will work." Zeus frowned.

Thor stopped for a moment, mentally analyzing the plan once again, before nodding his head. "Without the shields, the atmosphere has recovered enough for us to breach the hull. Once we are in, reaching the individual drones should not be a problem. Worst case, we can not disintegrate the hull completely, and leave behind an empty husk."

"I'd not even consider that bad," Zeus grinned, "if that hull is really that sturdy, we might even learn from it. So we go in and blow up a few key elements. How do we do that, and do we know where they are?"

At the last point, Thor grimaced. "Our secondary scanners, those able to penetrate the black-out field, can not penetrate their hull. We will have to rescan once we are inside. The explosives are easy, however. I already asked my engineers to whip together a dozen small anti-matter charges. In the yield we are looking for here, they are hardly bigger then a fist and should be easy enough to carry."

Zeus nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Do we need anything else?"

At that moment, Demeter stepped through the crowd, carrying a small box. "Zeus, I've got one more thing. For the past few years, I have been thinking about the Wraith, and possible solutions. This is what I have come up with."

Zeus glanced down at the box in his friends hand. It was about as a hand high and wide, and twice as long, with small slits on two of the sides. "So, what is it?"

"I have not tested it yet," Demeter explained, "but I researched the frequency of the shield the Wraith use. I believe this should resonate in the exact counter frequency, opening a small hole in the shield."

"How small, exactly?" Hades asked sceptically.

"About door sized." the inventor replied. "But thats easily enough to fit people through."

"It would enable us to stage a two-fronted attack. Do we have a second point of entrance through the hull?" Poseidon requested.

Thor began to rotate the diagram and zoomed in on various spots he or others pointed out, but in the end shook his head. "The most perfect spot would be the other hangar, but it is on the very top of the ship. Getting there is impractical. I do not believe so."

"What about that bulkhead?" Demeter pointed to a small section on the projection. "It is closed, but surly it is a weak point. A few charges, or a plasma torch, and we should make it through quickly."

Zeus stared at the hologram for another dew moments, before finally looking up. "It might work, let's try it. Hades, put a team together to join Demeter through the bulkhead tomorrow. The other half goes with me. Get a good night's sleep tonight, I'd like to hit them early tomorrow."

Thor frowned briefly. "Tomorrow will not be enough time to get the bulk of our infiltration experts here. We only have a squad of pioneers, and a few demolition experts on board."

Zeus smiled at the alien kindly, if a bit disapproving. "Thor, my friend, we are thankful for any assistance you are willing to give us, but the mission itself is one we should do on our own. That way, we have little to no risks, and this is our planet. Additionally, you will need every Asgard in Ida to fight these Replicators."

Thor seemed to disagree, but finally nodded his head in acceptance. "Very well then. I will have the charges transferred down as soon as they are prepared, and if you need anything else, you need but to ask."

As the alien moved to leave the group and call in a transport, Hades stopped him. "Wait! Zeus, we should probably have a bit more of a plan then go in and blast the thing, and Thor, your counsel is always greatly appreciated."

Zeus turned to his friend curiously. "Two teams, two entrances on two opposite ends of the ship, tomorrow morning. What more do you want? We don't know anything else"

Hades frowned at his only elder. "What kind of weapons do we use, for example. We developed quiet a few over the years. Additionally, what tactics might be most useful. How will we communicate and how will we operate?"

"Until the black-out field can be lifted once communications are destroyed, subspace-based systems will be useless within the ship." Thor threw in.

"So we use mental communication, " Zeus suggested, "it can not be detected, and should easily last throughout the whole ship, at least for those of us trained well."

Poseidon shook his head, though. "Even for us elders, mental communication takes focus. In the heat of a battle, I would rather not have to rely on it."

"Do we have a viable alternative, though?" Zeus questioned.

"Well, electro-magnetic emissions should not be disrupted. They probably won't penetrate the whole ship, but for the communications within the teams, it should be enough. Zeus and I can do the overall coordination mentally every once in a while." Hades proposed after a moment of thought.

"So, weapons was your next point, right? I was going to go with the zat'ni'katel again. They are simple and reliable."

Hades frowned. "When I hit the Wraith with my zat'ni'katel years ago, they got back up almost immediately. A second shot did not really bother them, either."

"The data Thor gave us suggests the Wraith physiology differs from our own significantly." Poseidon, who researched Biology most of the time, confirmed, "it is likely the zat'ni'katel's effect on their nervous system is almost non-existent, as Hades described."

"So what else do you propose?" Zeus questioned. "What would be most effective?"

"Of what we have, " Poseidon replied, "I would suggest direct damage weaponry. Those anti-matter guns would be perfect, but from the last report Hades gave, they are still somewhat ... temperamental, so I would suggest simply plasma rifles – flexible, lasting and sturdy."

"Tactics was the last one, right?" Zeus questioned Hades. "Given my own experience with the Wraith, I would suggest not to let one feed on one of us under any circumstance. Should it happen, best feed him an anti-matter charge immediately."

"It is therefore probably best if we stayed together as much as possible." Ares analyzed. "That way, we can simply outgun any Wraith who broke through, and have the numbers to block even larger attacks."

"Maybe we could prohibit feeding, also." Poseidon mused.

When all heads turned to him, clearly curious, he laid out his idea. "I was just remembering how the Jaffa used to wear those silver armours. Of course, they did not protect them much from their own weapons, or our powers, but if we can make them sturdy, should something like that not prevent the Wraith from injecting their enzyme?"

"It would severely limit our movement, " Hades frowned. "Admittedly, we would be better protected in hand to hand combat, but in a firefight, we would likely be to to slow to doge, and take more severe losses. Once we are stunned, our armour will do us little good."

"Only if it is too heavy," Zeus remarked. "If we can make it light, but sturdy, we might have a significant advantage. How are our Trinium reserves fairing?"

Persephone, who oversaw their stock, frowned in concern. "Not that much. Our recent series of experiments with anti-gravity drives used up a lot of our depots."

"The Ragnarok should carry a bit, as well, though." Thor piqued in. "And if that is still not enough,we can synthesize more through energy-to-matter conversion or simply substitute some magnesium."

Zeus had frowned at the first idea, but brightened up at the second one. Matter creation was costly due to the high energy required. If at all possible, they tried to avoid it to spare their reactors.

"I like the idea, a lot, actually, but I would prefer us to have a good night's sleep, and do not really want to stall your fleet any more then necessary. The Replicators and their tactics are, after all, still largely unknown to us. Do you think your engineers would mind terribly if we burdened them with the creation of these, Thor?"

"They can relax during our flight home," the Supreme Commander answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "The armour will be ready by tomorrow."

"Thank you," Zeus beamed at his friend. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to call on me, either tonight, or anytime in the future."

"Our scanners should be precise enough to tailor the equipment to your needs," the alien commented dryly. "You just make sure you are ready for tomorrow."


	15. 15 Assault

**Chapter 14: Assault**

Despite having planned to sleep as long as possible to be as awake as possible, anxiety drove Zeus out of bed early the next morning. He was only mildly surprised to find Hades and a majority of the other immortals, including all elders, talking quietly in the small building they had constructed as a canteen. Each house had its own kitchen, of course, but often times, a bit of company while eating was appreciated.

Zeus knew well how the others felt. Ever since the Wraith had crashed, they had waited patiently for the day to finally be able to get rid of them. Although the threat was well contained, they all, including Zeus, remembered the helplessness they had felt as they watched the Goa'uld exploit humanity. For another threat to be just sitting their, waiting for a time to strike just as they were, was maddening.

To get a chance to finally strike at them, on the other hand, was a relief of almost undescribable proportions.

As Zeus plopped down in a seat next to Hades and his wife, he chuckled when he saw a plate already waiting for him at his spot.

"We figured you would not be long," his friend grinned at him in explanation. "Not on a day like today."

Zeus nodded in understanding before lustlessly poking into his plate, not really hungry but well aware that it might be a while until he got his next meal and that he would need the strength.

"So, are we all ready?" He finally asked as he pushed the still half full plate aside, curiously inspecting his closest and most trusted friends around him.

"As you can see, most of us are already awake. I admit, I was a bit surprised you slept at all. Ares already checked on the weapons, Hebe packed some rations, and Poseidon and Athene never even went to sleep. Poseidon was up with Thor and his engineers all night, perfecting the armour, and Athene took another trip around the Hive to make sure everything is as it should be." Persephone reported, before finally adding. "Relax, Zeus, it will be fine."

Zeus lifted his head to directly look into the younger woman's eyes. "I know it will. After all, I have the best people working with me. When will the armour be done?"

Poseidon checked the small Asgard tablet lying before him before replying. "Just about now. Thor sais he will transport them to the square immediately."

"Then lets wake those last sleepers and get this thing over with." Hades exclaimed in relief, causing a round of chuckles to pass through the group, and a few youngsters to immediately sprint to their assembly bell.

Through the windows, Zeus saw the white light of the transport beam fade moments before he stepped out of their tavern. With great interest, he picked up one of the four dozen packages, the one with his name on it, containing his newest gadget, lifting it effortlessly.

Poseidon and the Asgard had done a fine job. The chest and back were made from two solid pieces of Trinium, painted black and held together with a thin stripe of elastic carbon. The inside was lined with a smooth, slightly warm feeling material Zeus had seen the Asgard use on many occasions before.

"Intelligent fabric, " Poseidon explained, already in his own piece. "This stuff is simple, really, just keeping your body perfectly climated and soft enough to prevent any kind of bothering friction. Theoretically, the Asgard could have woven a small computer or even a primitive energy shield into this, but there was not enough time to design it for everybody, since we made every armour form fitting."

Seeing Zeus lift the metal over his head, Poseidon hastily continued. "It means that the armour will fit best if you do not wear anything underneath."

Unconcerned, Zeus shrugged and unbuttoned his shirt, finally noticing many of the others around him doing the same. While the immortals stayed clothed most of the time - they were living in Great Britain, after all, the country which would later perfect the art of carrying an umbrella – nudity was nothing to be embarrased about, in their opinion. Of course, they might be biased, considering their ability to form their bodies to their wishes.

When the armour finally snapped into place around his torso, Zeus understood why Poseidon had insisted he remove the shirt first. While far from uncomfortable, the armour tightly molded to every curve of his body, not moving at all. Carefully at first, Zeus began moving his arms and legs, pleasantly surprised to find his movement not at all inhibited.

"You have done a fantastic job with this, Poseidon. Not only have you surpassed all expectations I had of this armour, you also probably safed quiet a few of our lives today."

Poseidon nodded modestly, before pointing to a small pouch on around the immortals waist. "Those of us who fought against Chronos have three anti-matter charges in those pouches, as well as a tablet to detonate one or all of them.

The armour might also be able to take a few of those stunners, but even if it does, successive hits will eventually bleed through. I would not rely on it."

Zeus nodded in understanding before moving of to their armoury, picking up a small handheld energy gun, their version of the zat'ni'katel, fixing a knife to the inside of each of his boots, and finally slinging a plasma rifle over his shoulders.

Waiting patiently in the courtyard, he observed as the last of the immortals slipped into his armour and picked up his weapons, before lifting his arms slightly, bringing the others attention to him.

"My friends. I do not think I really have to tell you what is at stake today. If we do not succeed, the Asgard in orbit will have to remain to guard us, to hold our hands while their people face a dangerous foe. Do not forget, my friends, that today, we are not fighting for the humans of Earth, but for the Asgard, our allies and friends, who have taught us all they know, and supported us for many years.

Today, when you face the enemy, be strong in your heart, and your powers will flow freely. Do not doubt yourself, do not doubt your partner, and we will win."

Zeus did not expect ovations, and he did not get them. With the exception of their two youngest members, four and twenty five years since their rebirth respectively, who would be steering their ships and would navigate them into position should they need to retreat quickly, the crowd listening to Zeus' speech was well over the age to be considered a veteran by any standard. They did not need pep-talks, but every once in a while, Zeus knew, it was nice to hear what it was you were fighting for.

"Split up, my friends. You know the plan. Stick to it."

.

They approached the Hive low, flying just above the treeline, to avoid detection and, more importantly, sweep the area and make sure there were no Wraith hidden behind them the Asgard's sensors had failed to pick up.

Finally, Zeus' transport touched down in a small clearing near the lake. Immediately, the thirty-two immortals streamed out, eager to get some fresh air. Their small craft had easily been able to carry them all, but had not been designed to seat that many comfortable. Taking two crafts would have meant leaving two pilots behind, though, as they could not risk their more advanced technology falling into Wraith hands.

Dressed in all black, covered from head to toe in a modification of the Asgard's intelligent material, the group quickly advanced through the treeline and slowly lowered itself into the clear and cold water of the lake.

Apparently, the Wraith did not anticipate an attack that way. With regular, powerful strokes, the immortals approached the Hive ship, weary of any attack or trap that never came.

Half an hour later, Zeus held up his hand, stopping his companions from diving into the hangar. While the Wraith seemed to have attempted to close the gate, probably once they realized they would not be able to launch their darts underwater, they had failed to do so completely. A good man-wide split still separated the two mighty hangar doors where a bolder had jammed the mechanism.

Advancing more slowly and carefully, Zeus peered into the gigantic spaceship for the first time, predictably spotting a few guards lazily patrolling through the various ships, as well as a group of more advanced Wraith, recognizable by their lack of a mask, working on dissembling a fighter.

Carefully, Zeus inched back out of sight before reporting his findings to his companions. On the plus side, the Wraith seemed completely unprepared for an assault. The whole deck, however, tilted heavily towards the water and was quiet steep in the first steps, making getting out and finding a even spot to stand on and fight difficult.

Zeus and Poseidon, as the oldest and therefore most experienced of the group, went first, immediately followed by most of the others. Only Ares and Hestia held back, intending on surprising the Wraith with a second wave of attacks once their focus shifted away from the water.

A shrill metallic screech was the only warning the Wraith got as Zeus and Poseidon buried one of their knifes each deeply into the overhang to use as a handle while climbing, thankful that the Asgard had replaced the blades with almost unbreakable, almost forever sharp Trinium alloy blades.

Grabbing the knife with one hand, Zeus lifted himself out of the water and up enough to grab the edge of the hangar floor with the other hand. Moments later, he swung his legs over the edge and rolled back to his feet, already grabbing the plasma rifle slung over his back.

Both Zeus and Poseidon did not press their advantage. Instead, they laid rapid covering fire throughout the large room, striking a few Wraith, but mainly forcing them to take cover, giving their companions enough time climb out of the water.

Within the minute, all thirty immortals had used the makeshift ladder to enter the Wraith shift, and were now slowly and carefully advancing through the long hangar deep into the ship, the guarding drones pummelling them with their stunning rifles.

Probably due to the time they had given the Wraith here on Earth already, the alien fighters in the back of the hangar had already been dismantled, initially causing the work crew to be quiet far in the front. As a result, the more advanced aliens quickly joined the fight, adding their own handheld stunners to the mix and, occasionally, trying to break cover and attack the larger group of humans in close combat.

The immortals did not spread out, instead choosing to remain close together for mutual protection. Normally, that tactic would have enabled the aliens to outflank them as they pushed deeper into the hangar, but with Ares and Hestia still waiting for a chance to strike, that possibility was actually welcomed, as it would force the aliens into a multi-fronted battle instead.

Zeus had expected a loud intruder alarm blaring through the ship by now, but to his surprise, non of the aliens had even attempted to leave the battle to alert their companions. After all, they should have thousands of drones still in the ship, and currently, the group was engaged in the most critical point of their fights, the establishing of a beachhead within the ship. Overwhelming the immortals here, before they had a chance to fortify their positions and gain a feel of the ships layout, would probably be relatively easy.

Finally, the group was forced to stop as they reached roughly the middle of the hangar, where the work crew, roughly forty aliens, had barricaded themselves behind a few darts and dart components to lay covering fire on the intruders.

As most of the team crouched down to present a smaller target, Zeus pondered their situation. Right now, they were extremely vulnerable, without any kind of protection in the centre of a war zone deep in enemy territory.

As the rest of the team had finally organized themselves into teams of two, one of them using their powers to shield, the other the rifle to return fire, Zeus nodded to Poseidon, his own partner for the mission. Apparently, the other man had had the same thought as he, without an explanation, slung his own rifle onto his back and created a second shield.

Most of the drones initially guarding the hangar had already fallen as they tried to slow the intruders, sacrificing their lives to enable the unmasked aliens to put up a more efficient defence, leading Zeus to suspect some kind of pecking order was actually in use within this Hive, as well. From the Asgard database, they already knew each Hive was controlled by a Queen, but could so far only theorize about the presence of some kind of Commanders serving directly beneath her.

The few remaining guards, meanwhile, had finally used the groups broken momentum to sneak behind them, in turn causing Hestia and Ares to attack them from behind and tear through them easily and efficiently.

Glancing to the others, Zeus ordered the rest of the group to hold position, before he and Poseidon got back up to their feet.

With a yell, the two elders charged the makeshift cover, drawing heavy fire from the Wraith in response. While their shields flared brightly under each hit, the pair set a foot onto the barricade before spinning high over the crouched down aliens.

While those still turned, Zeus and Poseidon perfectly synchronized pulled their smaller sidearms from their hip holsters and opened fire into the centremost aliens, before dropping the weapon to fight along either side of the barricade.

Although Poseidon had never before fought against these aliens, his experience in other fights as well as the fact that Zeus had made sure to brief every immortal on his own fight with the alien, both before and after the power boost, three centuries before, meant that the immortal had no problem keeping up with his slightly older partner as they tore through enemy ranks.

Zeus desperately tried to hold back the flood of punches raining down on him. Despite catching them unaware, the aliens outnumbered the pair of warriors twenty to one and were quickly able to surround each fighter, even as the remaining immortals finally begun to slowly advance once more.

As the third punch broke through his defence and struck his chest, resulting in a slight bong ringing through his armour, Zeus finally realized the aliens seemed more concerned with his chest then any other body part, including his head.

Lashing out with his foot, Zeus bought himself some time to retreat a few steps to come back to back with Poseidon once again.

"Good job with those armours. Great idea. Did you realize they seem to wish to feed desperately?"

Poseidon threw a few punches before replying. "Thanks. I noticed as well. Seems a bit odd, though."

"We'll have to take care of it later, I guess. For now, let's finish this."

Simultaneously, both men charged into the fray once more, even as the remaining immortals reached the barrier as well. In short order, the Wraith, now engaged from multiple angles and under attack both in close combat, as well as from the plasma rifles, fell prey to the intruders.

"Status?" Zeus' voice rang through the suddenly quiet hangar as the last fights had ceased.

While most of the group broke out in incoherent mumbling, Ares and Hestia finally joined the group once more as they climbed through the rubble on one of the hangar's side walls.

"We did not find any further entrances, so there should not be any surprises coming from the back." Hestia reported as Ares handed the two elders the knifes he had liberated from the hangar wall.

"And we are sure there are no Wraith left in here?" Poseidon questioned the group. Immediately, about half of them spread out once more, checking on their fallen enemies and securing the back of their room, using their rifles to dispose of those still alive.

"The rest of you, secure the door. Make sure we remain undisturbed. Poseidon, can you help me with the equipment?" Together, Zeus and Poseidon quickly unfolded the small antenna and connected it to a powerful Asgard tablet, before powering the whole thing with a small battery.

Blinking for a moment, the tablet booted, before showing the layout of the hangar. Using his fingers to scroll around the newly created map, Zeus was disappointed to find the range severely limited.

"Damn. The inner walls must be similarly shielded. I only have a few rooms in every direction on here."

Poseidon grimaced as he moved to inspect the map over Zeus' shoulder. "I guess we can ditch the antenna here, then. Based on those power lines, this room here might be a secondary control room, though. Maybe we'll find a map there."

Zeus nodded. "I'll inform Hades. They do not need to take the time to set this stuff up."

At that moment, several low whines as well as hurried scuffling brought the two immortals' attention back to the doorway, where groups of Wraith attacked the doorway, intending to beat push back the intruders.

"How did they know we were here? I made sure to watch the exit. Non of them left, and we found no communication system in the room." Poseidon cursed out.

Zeus, meanwhile, looked thoughtful. "There is another possibility." He mused as he watched the doorway to make sure the others, now reinforced by the rest of the room, held back the advancing Wraith. "Did you notice how the Wraith seemed eager to reach our chests and feed on us? When I fought that guy in the forest, feeding seemed to be completely unimportant to him, at least until I had seriously injured him."

Poseidon frowned at his friend. "So they are hungry. We have, after all, starved them for three centuries. That should not be that surprising."

"No." Zeus disagreed immediately. "They were not desperate, like they were about to die, but eager, as if they had seen something they wanted. Once that alien in the forest fed on Zelos, he grew many times stronger, faster and more resistant."

"But how would they know about that? The Asgard vaporised that guy and he never had a chance to report back."

Zeus finally turned his full attention back on Poseidon. "We know the Wraith developed from a combination of the Lanteans and a local bug. We are related to the Lanteans as well. And if we can communicate mentally, "

"What is to say that the Wraith can't do the same. Damn it, we should have considered that earlier." Poseidon finished with a scowl, his eyes shining in wonder.

"How could we have," Zeus disagreed. "No data we had so far suggested anything in that direction. It does not really matter, now, though."

"No, we still have to finish this, and we already anticipated their desire to feed on us."

Zeus tilted his head to the door. "Let's get to that control room."

As both immortals trotted to join the rest of the group, Zeus reached into his pack and pulled out the first of his anti-matter charges, lightly flicking it down to the left. "Away!"

Ever since they had developed more powerful explosives, 'Away!' had been their keyword, later on to be replaced by 'Fire in the hole!' as humanity developed their own grenades. With efficient movements, the immortals furthest from the doorway shuffled to the side and brought up some precautionary shields while their comrades laid covering fire.

The moment the last of the group had cleared the opening, Zeus detonated the charge. A bright flash proceeded the deafening boom and the shockwave of heat and shrapnel even as the ship lightly shook.

"Damn, those Asgard can make bombs as well." Zeus grinned as he heard Ares' murmur. Indeed the bomb Zeus had misused as a grenade had left a much larger devastation then he had anticipated. The corridor, however, that half of the aliens had used as an attack route, was now completely blocked of.

Most of the large amounts of energy in the charge had been used up to collapse the tunnel it had been thrown in. Due to the amount of energy anti-matter was able to produce, though, even the remaining energy had easily been able to devastate the corridor both ways.

The immortals had been safe behind the thick hangar doors, but the Wraith drones had been caught without a cover. Those closest to the door had been literally evaporated, while those further down the corridor, past the hangar doors, had been less lucky.

"_Zeus, did you do that?" _The elder jumped a little as he felt Hades' mind connect to his own.

"_We did. Be careful with those charges, they are quiet...strong."_

"_Why do I get the feeling you are understating." _Zeus could feel the grin in his friends' voice.

"_We tried to scan the ship. It is useless, so do not bother."_

"_Understood. What is the new plan?" _Hades questioned immediately.

Now it was Zeus to grin. _"What makes you think we have one?"_

"_Oh, please, " _Hades groaned out. _"I have known you longer then anybody else. You always have a plan."_

"_Poseidon found a control room not far from our position. We hope to find schematics of the ship there. Once we've got them, we can guide you to the targets, as well."_

"_Very well, " _Hades acknowledged. _"We'll hold position until you give us further instructions."_

"_Be careful, though," _Zeus finally warned, _"we suspect the Wraith might be able to communicate mentally, as well. Otherwise, there are several significant inconsistences in their behaviour. It also means they already know about our powers, so there is no need to hold back."_

Hades cursed. _"Damn, that still complicates things. We have not encountered anyone, so far, however, so we should be good. I'll hear from you in a moment."_

The moment the light, noise and heat had cleared sufficiently, the first group of immortals immediately rushed into the corridor. While the charge had clearly done its job, overwhelming the Wraith's defence, the scene welcoming the immortals was most gruesome.

The first half of the immortals, including Poseidon, quickly advanced through the burnt and crippled corpses, trying to ignore the death around them. Right behind them, Zeus led the second group to secure the tunnel, checking to make sure all Wraith were truly dead. The eldest immortal had not forgotten that most of his problems during his last encounter with the aliens had been due to the fact that he had chosen to neglect an apparently incapacitated opponent.

Apparently, the explosions had shocked the Wraith significantly more then it had the immortals. For several valuable moments, the first group advanced unopposed through the enemy ship, before finally meeting the enemy once again. Immediately, both sides began firing once more.

In the close quatres of the corridor, with clear lines of combatants, the immortals efficiently used their shields to constantly push the enemy further back, before they finally reached the small side door to the control room.

"Ares, Poseidon, hold this line. Hestia, you are with me." Zeus ordered. Hestia had specialized in Computer Security, working as the only immortal with the Asgard to fish out bugs in their systems and infiltrate others.

Hestia crouched down before the door panel, using her knife to pry it open and get to the access console. Moments later, as she connected two conducts, a small spark announced the opening of the door.

Without hesitation, Zeus stepped into the room, his rifle high as he swept the room. A single, unmasked Wraith sat at the rooms main terminal, desperately tipping at the keyboard. Zeus did not feel any regret as he unhesitantly shot his opponents back.

"Clear." Even as she nodded in consent to Zeus' shout, Hestia swept to the corpse and tipped it of the chair to take a seat before the terminal.

"Well, the good news is, since he was already logged in, I can access the system much more quickly. The bad news is, he was doing his best to isolate this console."

"How bad is it?" Zeus asked, leaning over her shoulder.

Hestia did not even acknowledge him for several moments, before finally answering without taking her eyes of the screen.

"He did quiet a bit of damage, already, so I will have to wait and see what I can reconstruct. All primary systems are gone, but the schematics, at least, are tertiary systems. Give me a moment, and I should have them up."

"Wow!" She exclaimed moments later, causing Zeus to bring his eyes back to the screen, trying to take in the whole map at once. "What is it?"

"We entered here," she explained, pointing to the map. "and then moved along this hangar and up this corridor. We are still completely under the surface, so they did not expect us here."

"Why would you say that?" Zeus questioned.

"This is their stasis chamber, where the drones are hibernating until the food situation improves. More importantly, however, is that the Queen"

"Usually lives right next to her Hive, so probably in that large room here." Zeus interrupted. "We are in striking range for their whole Hive, including their highest leader. They will throw everything they have at us. Where are our targets?"

"Even with the autonomous remodelling a Hive ship is capable of, several key systems can not be used, at least not without completely exposing themselves. I suppose the fact that those systems had to be operational at all times did not help, either."

"So what?" Zeus was getting impatient, well aware of the battle still raging in the corridor behind him.

"Sorry. What I was trying to explain is that, in our attempt to get around the ship and hit them from behind, we have distanced ourselves from all primary targets. There is absolutely nothing Hades would not be able to reach a lot easier and faster – he is around here, and these are sensors, communications and finally the main generator directly next to the shield generator."

Zeus nodded and squeezed the slightly younger woman's shoulder in thanks even as he reached out to contact his friend.

"_Hades, are you there? Any changes?"_

The reply was instantaneous. _"Everything is calm up here. What do you want us to do."_

"_We have a change of plans," _Zeus explained. _"You are going to have to strike every target, we are too far away. We'll try to pull attention away from you."_

.

Hades turned to his group as he closed his link to Zeus. "OK, Ladies and Gentleman, as of now, we hold complete responsibility for the success of this mission."

Carefully, the group of fifteen advanced through the dark, gloomy corridors of the starship, peering around every corner and often stopped to allow an alien to pass. Stealth was their greatest concern now.

The first two targets, the sensors and the communication systems, were easy enough. After making sure the room was empty, most of the group quickly swept through to cover all entrances, while Charon and Iris, who had become the slightly older immortals partner, placed a few charges throughout the room.

Now though, crouching in a small side room for the thrid time on their path to the generator, Hades grew impatient. "How is it that there were no guards at both other targets, but so many patrols around here?"

"Maybe," Demeter pointed out reasonably, "they simply did not regard the other two locations as potential targets. Since we have no precise scans, it is well possible both sensors and communications are already shut down to save energy."

Hades grumbled, but nodded in acceptance as he peered out into the hallway, observing the patrol slowly departing. "At least we know that we are on the right way."

"Or we are walking in a carefully laid trap here, honey." Persephone pointed out calmly.

While Hades still frowned, Charon shook his head. "In that case, they would have to know we were coming, and would have to have the resources to actually stop us. If we actually attacked, we would have no problems defeating any patrol we encountered so far, or even all at once."

Hades smiled at his son's analysis in pride, even as he nodded in relief and stood, once again sneaking along the corridor.

Less then a hundred meters and two turns later, the leading immortal hurridly dived back behind the corner and shot is companions a look, causing them all to stop instantly.

"There are at least four dozen Wraith in there, barricaded heavily." he finally cursed quietly.

"That should not be a large problem. We simply circle them and hit them from all sides until their resistance crumbles. There are fifteen of us here, love."

Hades looked at his wife sceptically, but Demeter beat him to the answer. "Our whole task here is to be stealthy. Wearing them down takes time, which they could use to either get reinforcements, or find the other bombs."

Persephone looked sceptical. "Do you really think they can react fast enough to stop us. Sure, this fight might take a few minutes, but after that, we can be out of here almost immediately."

"And the Wraith can have drones here undoing whatever damage we do immediately afterwards. We can not risk that." Hades finally decided. "We need them to pull back."

While Demeter closed her eyes for a moment, trying to devise a possible solution, Persephone inspected her husband closely. "What is is that you have planed?"

Hades merely smiled at her before closing his eyes and reaching out with his mind.

"_Zeus, are you free?"_

_._

On the other side of the ship, Zeus stepped back slightly and back into their captured control room, promoting the other immortals to close the gap his retreat had created in their line.

"_What can I do for you, Hades?"_

"_We have successfully placed charges around the sensors and communications without encountering a single patrol. The area around the generator and shields is littered with Wraith, though, patrolling the corridors and guarding the room. We managed to get right next to it, but there are still a good fifty Wraith between us and the target._

_Unfortunately, that is too many for us to overwhelm quickly. If we attack them now, we will be caught in a prolonged firefight, which might ultimately give the Wraith enough time to circle us or find the other charges."_

"_Understood, so you need a diversion?" _Zeus questioned.

"_Well, I figured since you were exposed already, it would make sense for you to attract their attention."_

"_Don't worry about it. I will take care of it." _Zeus finally confirmed after a moment of thought, before turning to look into the room.

"Hestia, leave some gifts and come, we are advancing."

Without waiting for a reply, the elder made his way back into the battle zone ahead of him to find Poseidon and inform him on the newest developments.

The other immortal absorbed the new situation without blinking his eyes, before turning back to yell over the heat of the battle. "All right, Ladies and Gentleman, we are going in. Advance."

As one, the first row of immortals, so far crouching to minimize their exposed area, stood and extended their shields. Moments later, the second row stood as well, now firing plasma bullets rapidly as they began to overwhelm the defenders.

Contrary to the wide hangar, the relatively narrow corridors within the ship did not allow more then four of the twenty immortals to walk side by side. Even with two lines and a duo as rearguard, less then a third of the group was engaged in battle at all times, giving the remainder time to rest.

Only at intersections would the whole group become active, as the first line split up and seamlessly rotated into the other corridors, while the second row advanced further and the reserve replaced them as gunman. In the centre of the small procession, Zeus and Poseidon walked almost leisurely, feeling useless as their comrades did the work. Still, the plan called for them to function as backup in case of an emergency, and therefore to be as strong and as fresh as possible.

The second difference between the hangar and the corridor was the complete lack of clutter. As a result, the immortals, hidden behind their shields, were easily able to advance through enemy ranks, while the Wraith were exposed to their attacks.

The corridor was littered with alien corpses as the group advanced steadily, all of them showing multiple dark, smouldering burn marks where the high energy plasma of the immortals' weapons had bitten into their skin.

"How much further is it?" Poseidon murmured finally, having never seen the schematics of the ship.

"We should be there any moment." As if to confirm Zeus' statement, the corridor opened into a wide hall, filled with hundreds of Wraith, all crouching behind makeshift covers. Immediately, dozens of blue energy bolts crossed the remaining distance as the aliens prepared to defend their home, brothers and queen.

Zeus had led his group directly into the heart of the Hive ship, into the throne room of the Wraith queen, which also served as central meeting chamber and led directly to the thousands of stasis pots housing the Hive.

"Showtime."

Zeus' exclamation spurred Poseidon into action. As the two by far most experienced of the group, both immortals immediately stepped ahead of the others and launched themselves through the fast moving wall of stun blasts, before impacting into the first row of defenders.

Zeus stemmed both hands onto the makeshift cover the defenders had build before heaving himself forward, never loosing his momentum as he flew through the air. The moments his first hand touched the ground, the veteran rolled over his left shoulder and emerged in a low crouch, his knife flashing as it scratched over the skin of several nearby Wraith.

For a moment, the aliens, outnumbering their foe uncountable times, seemed to shrink back from the small piece of sharpened metal, before they began to advance as one, pushing into Zeus from all sides.

Zeus and Poseidon did not plan to defeat their enemies. Instead, they wanted to buy their comrades the time to leisurely pick of the aliens, while they merely held their own distracting them. Within moments of the fight, however, Zeus felt his trigger finger getting sluggish from overuse.

After a quick, low swipe of his feet, Zeus once again rolled over his shoulder, halting right at Poseidon's feet.

"Since this either works or does not, there is no real need to hold back, is there?"

"I guess not." Zeus could hear the grin in his partner's voice.

Simultaneously, both immortals tapped into their powers, filling their hands with white light. While Poseidon simply thrust his hands out, flicking balls of energy towards the attacking hordes, Zeus used the trick he had first learnt from Hades many thousand years ago.

Twin blades of light sprouting from the immortal's arms were almost as long as the arms themselves. Zeus seemed to have no problems handling them, though, as he gracefully swept the tips in a low ark.

Seeing the human's strange powers, the Wraith had backed of slightly in fear and caution. Zeus had taken that into account, though, as he danced into their rows once again. The aliens were too careful to be fully caught in the white beam, but contrary to a traditional blade, the weapon Zeus now wielded did not need strength or momentum to cause damage.

With ease, the beam of light parted the aliens' armour, cut into their skin and even ended their lives.

"_Hades, you should probably see some relieve now." _Zeus finally reported as he noticed the rows of enemy thinning.

"_Yes, they just left. We will attack in a few moments, and the battle should be easy."_

The stasis technology the Wraith used was extremely powerful, enabling their race to survive dozens of years without feeding and thereby even to cross the vast distances between the stars. The drawback, however, was that reviving the frozen drones took up time. In most situations, that was perfectly acceptable and did not hinder the Hive's plans. Right now, though, as the Hive fought a battle for survival, it proofed to be devastating.

As he was about to acknowledge his friends report, Zeus could see the first limbs twitch in the reddish-orange glow of the stasis capsules, realizing with a start that they did not have a lot of time left until they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Until they had attacked the throne room, the Queen, who ultimately controlled the stasis, had held back on waking her drones, well aware that they would need to feed before being able to return to their resting place. Now, though, as she watched her tribe being decimated, she recalled all warriors she had available.

'Come on, Hades. What is taking you so long.'

As if summoned by his silent plea, Zeus felt Hades' mind connect to his own. _"All right, we are __done and pulling back. Unless, of course, you have some other task for us?"_

"_No." _Zeus breathed in relief. _"We will get out of here as well, soon. There is just one detail I have __to take care of, first."_

With a cry, the immortal launched himself forward once again, splitting the army of enemies steadily being reinforced from all sides in two. Moments ago, he had spied a female form lurking in the back of the throne room, well guarded by a small elite unit of Wraith, which he rightly assumed to be the Queen.

Finally allowing his beams to dissipate, Zeus tapped once again immediately, filling both hands with pure white light.

Drawing his arms back, Zeus threw the white light like he would two balls, watching in satisfaction as his dual attack approached the Queen head on.

The alien leader did not seem to hesitate as she packed one of her guards and easily lifted him of his feet as if the sturdy warrior was weightless. Although the Queen's feet slid back a few inches as the attack hit her fleshly shield, she simply smiled ferally at her attacker moments later, the corpse of her guard forgotten on the floor before her.

Before Zeus had a chance to launch a second attempt, this time much closer as he had not stopped moving, a white blur vertically passed between them before impacting on the ground hard. Mustering the drone just rightening itself from its fall, the immortal glanced up to find one of the stasis pods opened, and hundreds more in the process of doing so.

For the first time in their whole attack, Zeus reached to his ear to activate the radio he carried there, even as he sprinted back through the sea of enemies.

"Everybody fall back! Fall back!" the elder screamed into his transmitter almost in panic.

Even from the distance, Zeus could see that most of the immortals had held the battle line, enabling them to retreat back into the corridor they came from efficiently. Hestia and Ares, though, as the other elders in his group, had joined Poseidon in the fray. Even those three, however, would reach the exit long moments before Zeus himself would.

As the first immortals, those standing in the last line, reached the corridor they had originally emerged from, dragging their handful of stunned comrades behind cover as well, they turned around and covered their still retreating comrades, having beforehand been able to simply turn and run due to their protection.

With an order and discipline other armies in the history of mankind could only ever dream of, the main body once again disappeared into the tunnels the moment the three elders reached the entrance and turned to secure it.

Once they saw Zeus emerge from the last line of Wraiths, who still seemed to be perplexed by the sudden shift in their opponents' strategy, Hestia and Ares turned as well, beginning their track through tunnel.

As he reached Poseidon, Zeus finally allowed himself to turn around and inspect the mass of aliens before him. Already, the density of enemies seemed to be as high as it had been when they had first entered the room, and more and more drones began to fall down from the ceiling.

Grabbing the rifle on his back, Zeus brought the weapon around to fire blindly, knowing fully well that every shot would strike a target either way. With small backwards steps, the duo retreated into the hallway, the Wraith finally hot on their tails.

"Damn it, this is not going to work." Although Poseidon could not help but agree as he watched the pale blue aliens approach warily, but steadily, he was surprised to find Zeus yelling angrily.

"Poseidon." All of a sudden, Zeus voice had turned completely serious, almost causing the other elder to stop and listen in the middle of the battle. "I want you to turn and get out of here. Leave you remaining charges somewhere along the way, and blow all charges the moment you exit the ship. I will cover you."

With those words, Zeus reached into his own pouch and pulled out a charge, chucking it into the sea of enemies like a grenade, exploding it once again. In the giant hall and endless sea of enemies, though, most of the explosion dissipated harmlessly against the ceiling.

"Go! Damn it! Get out of here." Zeus finally yelled as he saw Poseidon open his mouth to protest.

With a few last parting shots, Poseidon turned and streaked through the corridor, quickly catching up to the rest of the group waiting at the next intersection.

"Zeus has our backs. Move it." He yelled upon spotting them, while at the same time flicking his remaining two charges into the two side corridors, sealing them moments later.

Without anybody to stall them, the group reached the hangar in record time. Directing his team to leave their last few bombs behind here, Poseidon finally ushered the whole group to the back and into the water. Pulling the detonator from his pouch, Poseidon finally took command of all charges placed, and directed them to blow up sixty seconds later, before following his team into the water and to the rendezvous point.

.

Four thousand years earlier, Zeus had felt his heart break as he stood in the centre of Ra's palace, the Egyptian sun burning hotly onto his body. Back then, he had given in to his anger and dispair, his most basic instincts, as he allowed his powers to simply flow out of him.

Since then, he had spent a lot of time experimenting just how much energy he could unleash, always with the same, unexpected result. At some point, he simply knew to stop, and did so instinctively.

Now, as he faced the unquantifiable mass of pale blue monsters approaching him, Zeus reached for that power once again. At the first bent of the tunnel, just so that he still had a line of sight into the mighty throne room, the husband, father and warrior lifted both his arms, closely watching his enemies as they rushed towards him, before pulling up as much energy as he could.

Time seemed to slow down to almost standstill for Zeus as he watched his enemies. Suddenly, distinct faces and mask emerged from the previously sea of light blue. Then, Zeus discerned distinctive traits of each face – that snub nose over there, those mean looking black eyes, or the strange gill-like organs on that alien. Moments later, the monotone droning of feet on the floor split up, until the immortal was able to perceive each footfall, each shuffle and each breath his enemies took.

Afterwards, as Zeus took in more and more energy from the strange, infinite pool available to him, the bright blue projectiles of the enemy stun slowed down before his eyes. Where before, they had moved too fast to really notice, let alone dodge, Zeus soddenly found himself inspecting the energy closely as the crawled past him.

Just as the first row of Wraith had taken their final step and lunged forward, Zeus felt his grasp on the energy slip. Similarly to how it is impossible to fill more water into an already full glass, his body suddenly just would not take any more energy in. With a primal yell, the immortal released his pent-up powers.

Four thousand years earlier, Zeus had watched in fascination as small sparks travelled along his arms to where he emitted the powerful white light laying devastation to his enemies. Now, those same sparks crawled all over his body, steadily approaching his hands to be unleashed at the aliens.

Zeus did not move, not blink, not even breath. His complete focus was on maintaining a steady pull on his powers and to hold back the flood of enemies sacrificing themselves against his attack. Where his twin beams, steadily dancing along the length of the corridor, touched an alien, the Wraith was violently flung back, usually looing whatever body part he had touched the light with. Most of them never got back up again.

Quickly, the narrow corridor began to fill up as the corpses mounted, even though most defenders were being flung back into the hall or disintegrated instantly.

Zeus, though, felt that he needed more, wanted more. He could feel his concentration slipping, and his attack wavering as the use of his powers tired him out. Desperately, he emerged himself further into his powers, calling up whatever reserves he could find, forcing them outwards.

Due to good diet, as well as the wish not to steadily look up to meet their Asgard allies' eyes, the immortals had quickly began to grow, their bodies taking heights that would become common over a thousand years later. With the intense physical training every one of them upheld, their bodies became a fortress of muscle and therefore containing mass above average even today.

As Einstein would predict over a Millenium later, the energy and the mass an object contained were closely linked. In fact, each grain of sand, each atom even, contained the equivalent of vast energy resources. Zeus' body therefore contained unimaginable large quantities.

As he requested more and more energy, Zeus' power finally turned to the only resource it had left. Breaking down the cells making up the immortals body, the elder began to cannibalize his own body to fuel his attack, before his control finally broke completely.

Similar to how anti-matter reacts with matter, small parts of Zeus' body instantaneously converted into energy, releasing a gigantic blast of light, pressure and energy, laying waste to the throne room and the army contained within.

Seconds later, multiple smaller explosions shook the ship once again as the charges the immortals had placed and left behind detonated, their timer expired.

.

"Supreme Commander. A message from the surface. Hades informs us that the mission was successful and should give the desired results momentarily."

Thor listened to his subordinates report quietly, although the other officers on the bridge could easily see the relief on his face as he acknowledged it.

"Very well. Take us above the hive! Firing position! Engineering, be ready to relay all power to the main gun."

Once again, the Ragnarok left its position to assume a lower orbit, her bow pointing straight to the surface, her decks perpendicular to it and her artificial gravity generators straining to hold the crew and their equipment upright despite the contradicting force of gravity from the planet. This time, though, to guarantee maximum efficiency, the ship lowered itself further into the atmosphere until it remained motionless less then a kilometre above ground.

"Commander, sensors read an explosion deep within the structure." the sensor technician reported orderly, before faltering. "What, this can't. Commander, the yield is many times higher then what we calculated."

"Full power to the shield." Thor was not about to take a risk. "Is there any danger to the surrounding area?"

"Secondary explosions above the ship," the technician reported instead. "The signature matches our own charges. Shield is collapsing."

At the same time, the Ragnarok began to shake slightly as the air around her rushed to reclaim the space it had been denied for the last three centuries and the shockwaves of the explosions within the ship rushed out. On the ground, the trees around the ship began to shake violently, some even uprooting as they were pulled towards the ship.

"Commander, sensors read superficial damage to the Hive ship. Multiple bulkheads have blown out in the lower parts of the ship, and the emitters used to power the shield have blown out."

"Is the damage enough to completely disintegrate the ship?" Thor questioned, hoping not to strain the atmosphere anymore.

"No Commander." the technician's answer came immediately, as he had just checked the same thing. "Simulations show various dead points currently. I recommend proceeding as planned."

"Very well." Thor acknowledged. "Engineering, reroot power. Weapons, fire when ready. Break through the hull."

The bright light of the Ragnarok's primary weapon illuminated the twilight of the Scandinavian late afternoon as the destructive energy pattered against the intruders' hull, before finally breaking through. Once past the powerful armour, the beam easily cut through multiple decks, deep into the ship before the officer manning the controls had a chance to react and deactivate it.

"Hull breached," he finally reported as the dust began to settle. "Extensive damage to the ship."

Thor nodded in acknowledgement. "Take us back into orbit. Weapons, prepare the anti-infantry weaponry. Target all Wraith. Fire at will." Hesitating for a moment, Thor turned towards his communications officer.

"Contact Zeus. Ask him if he wants the remains of the ship safed or if we are to destroy it."

The Asgard nodded in understanding and turned towards his console, moving sliders and quietly speaking into a small microphone attached to his head. Moments later, he repeated the action once again, causing Thor's attention to shift back to his report.

"I had contact with Hades, Supreme Commander. Zeus has fallen in battle, sacrificing himself to enable the rest of his team to fall back. Reportedly, he is the only casualty. Hades told us to take the thing apart to make sure there are no Wraith left shielded from our sensors."

"Weapons, you heard our orders. Execute them." From the almost casual tone of Thor's voice, as well of the length of his sentence, it was clear that he deemed the manoeuver to be successfully completed already.

"Bragi, the bridge is yours. I will transport down to be briefed on the execution of the mission, as well as to wrap up our dealings on Earth. Finish the Wraith ship and then prepare all ships for departure. Send a message to the main fleet to do so as well."

Hesitating for a moment, Thor finally added. "Once you are finished, everybody who wishes to is allowed to transport down. We do not know when we will get the chance to return."

"Yes commander." The office so far manning the weapons console acknowledged as he moved to the centre of the bridge to take command.

.

Thor knew that it would take the immortals a few moments to return to their island and get settled in, so he took his time preparing for his trip, stopping in his quatres on the way before transporting down.

As the white light around him faded, the Supreme Commander was therefore unsurprised to find the small square he had arrived in filled with the two crafts and bustling with activity. Already, however, a large group of immortals had stopped what they were doing and moved to greet him.

"Thor, it is good to see you." Hades was the first one to speak up, shouting slightly as he crossed the remaining distance between them.

"Likewise, Hades. I have come to congratulate you on your success. As we speak, we are dismantling the ship." Three centuries before, Thor's voice would have appeared almost monotone to the immortal, but Hades had since spent enough time with the Asgard to hear the genuine pleasure in it.

"We could not have done it without you, especially not with minimal losses as we did today." Poseidon said calmly.

As the small group of elders moved to the mess hall for comfort, the two teams began to tell their tales, both to each other and to their ally.

"What I am most curious about," Thor finally admitted when both were done, "is the large explosion moments before our charges went of."

Seeing the confused looks on his companions' faces, he elaborated. "A few seconds before the majority of our bombs went of, a much larger explosion occurred in the bowls of the ship. We have so far been unable to discern a cause."

Hades turned to Poseidon, arching a single eyebrow. "We were in the upper parts."

The other immortal shrugged helplessly, though. "My best guess would be Zeus did something, but I have no idea what it might be."

The group made smalltalk for a while longer, before a message to Thor's personal communicator halted the conversation. "The Wraith ship has been completely annihilated."

After a small smile, silence plagued the small group before Hades brought up what was on everybody's mind. "So I guess this is it, then? Now that the Wraith are defeated, you can return to your galaxy and take care of these Replicators."

"Indeed." Thor acknowledged quietly. "The situation appears to be most dire. I had hoped to say goodbye to Zeus before I leave, though."

"Since you have not picked up his corpse, we can presume it to be destroyed somehow. From experience, we believe that speeds up the rebirth process, but even then it will take a few years until he returns." Hera explained quietly.

Thor perked up. "I had wondered why you insisted on burning all your corpses, despite claiming to be not religious. It never actually seemed important enough to ask, though." He exclaimed with what would have been a small smile on a human face.

It was a testament to the dire mood the group was in that non of them managed more then a grin at the powerful and wise beings almost childlike joy.

"Do you have any idea how long this will take?" Demeter questioned finally.

Thor shook his head, though. "The enemy does not appear to have large numbers of ships. We presumed the Goa'uld to be our largest threat, so the majority of our fleet is stationed in this galaxy. Maybe that was a mistake.

While we should be able to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers, the Replicators have so far proven to be extremely adaptable and unpredictable. It might take a few years to hunt down the last remains of their fleet, and rebuild our outer colonies. I am confident we will be able to return more quickly, though, once we manage to contain the situation."

"We will come with you to support you." Charon promised suddenly, causing the others to jerk around and look at him.

"You know that we can not leave this planet, son." Hades chided. "The treaty Zeus signed with the Goa'uld prevents it."

"Exactly." His son pouched immediately. "Zeus signed it. He is not here now. They killed Delling, father."

Hades' eyes softened as he looked at his son. "I know you and Delling were close friends, but there are bigger things at stake here. Zeus might not be with us, but we all agreed to this treaty, and swore to uphold it."

Turning to Thor, he continued. "You know, of course, my friend, that we will do everything in our power to help you. If there is anything we can do for you, do not hesitate to ask. We will organize supplies for you, help you develop your technology, or even grant you refuge here on Earth. We are deeply in your debt for all that you have done for us."

Thor nodded his head, slowly. "I do not think we will require you aid, but I appreciate it nonetheless."

Charon, meanwhile, appeared disgruntled still. "This is wrong," he mumbled under his breath.

"Of course it is." Persephone confirmed easily. "However, the world is not black and white. We all wish we could help our friends, but we can't. Remember that Zeus himself payed the ultimate sacrifice in Egypt. Sometimes, you have to make hard choices."

"If we leave Earth now," Poseidon added, "all we have been fighting for has been useless. We have a responsibility here, as well."

Eventually, the group slipped back into easy conversation as more and more Asgard joined Thor on the surface. At the end of the day, though, under constant hugs and some tears, dozens of white flashes took the aliens away, their ships leaving orbit moments later.


	16. 16 Explanations

AN: Just so nobody gets confused: I changed the chapter names slightly, moving the Prologue to 1 to match the automatic counting done by ffnet. I did not have the patience to re-upload all chapters, though, to change the headline, so judging by that, there might be an apparently missing chapter here. That is not the case.

P.S. Sorry for the long wait. Life and all ...

**Chapter 16: Explanations**

_Present Day, Earth, Washington DC, Oval Office_

"Hold on, you died?" President Glassner interrupted Arthur's tale incredulously. "That's impossible, you are sitting here."

Moments later, before Arthur had a chance to reply, the President blushed lightly as he realized the absurdity of his own question. "Sorry, instincts, continue."

Arthur smiled as he leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of tea, before glancing at the clock. Charles had brought them some sandwiches a few hours ago, and various members of the President's staff had interrupted them for various reasons throughout the day. Still, at just after 4pm, they had come further then Arthur had anticipated.

"Don't worry. It will take time to get used to the idea of immortality. In fact, on some level, you might never fully accept it. This is a good place to ask questions, though. We are about two-thirds through my tale, and about to enter the most important period in our development."

"I do have, in fact, a question that has been bothering me for a while. You told me that several of my predecessors knew about you, as well. Even with me knowing about the Stargate, your story is hard to believe at times. How did you convince them your story is true, and how did you manage to keep it a secret with so many people knowing about it?" President Glassner questioned.

Arthur thought for a moment before nodding slowly. "I am sorry, I might have misspoken. We keep our true nature concealed most of the time. When we really have to approach a President, or anybody else, we carefully layer the truth we want them to know, revealing only that which we have to.

Your predecessors have all been told the same thing, especially since they all had access to these." Arthur tapped the books still in the small casket on the desk. "According to them, we are an organization with routes in the early Egyptian priesthood, existing in secrecy ever since then.

Of course, they tell nothing about the Goa'uld, or the Asgard, or the Ori we are about to learn about. Instead, they speak of an old prophecy which led to the Pharaoh to establish an order tasked with the protection of humanity. Of course, we have long since abandoned the esoterical aspect of our purpose, but the task itself remains."

Glassner peered at Arthur sceptically. "I find it hard to believe they would actually believe that. It seems rather far-fetched."

"Not at all." The storyteller disagreed easily. " It makes a nice little conspiracy theory. Add in a few lost artifacts as proof, like a scroll from the great library of Alexandria or a manuscript of Galileo Galilei, and they will believe – eventually. It takes time, of course. Also, it is actually extremely close to the real truth, at least in the past few hundred years. Once enlightenment set in, when we were unable to insert our own people into an administration or organization, we would recruit somebody. We were a secret order like it is described here."

"Really?" The President asked, clearly surprised by the relevation. "Then why did you never try to recruit me?"

Arthur appeared puzzled for a moment. "We had thought to have hit the jackpot with Charles as your personal aid. Even with our advanced knowledge, and our ability to manipulate files and computers, it is normally almost impossible to get this far in. Most of the time, we are happy to be hired as doorman, cook or janitor. Peripheral, but at least still in the vicinity of the task. Now that we know about the Stargate Command, though, what do you think I am doing here?"

"Ambassador Winchester, are you implying you are trying to recruit me to become a member of a secret organization?"

Arthur grinned easily. "First of all, Mr President, please, at least call me Arthur. It is the name I use most and therefore react best to, recently."

"Recently? I thought you used that name for over a thousand years now?" The President interrupted startled. "And in that case, please call me Gene. It's not like I achieved something that would warrant your respect for me."

Arthur nodded. "Thank you, although I might disagree. I have never been elected into any office, and you have achieved a lot in your relatively short life. A thousand years can appear to be fairly recently, if it is only about a tenths of your life. We use many names though, to avoid others being able to trace us. Still, most our names are connected in some way, to make them easier to remember."

"What do you mean, connected? Thundering Eagle, Zeus and Arthur have no connection, as far as I am aware." Gene asked skeptically.

"Zeus was an early name, and therefore is not as connected. Still, if you look Zeus up, you will find that the god is often symbolized through an eagle." Arthur explained.

"You mean the early Greeks were aware of who you are? And what about the other two names?"

"No, of course not," the ambassador denied immediately. "Most likely, somebody overheard one of the other immortals calling me Thundering Eagle, and connected the dots from there. It is one possible explanation for the lightning Zeus is supposed to wield, the other being obvious." Arthur explained as he briefly filled his hollowed hand with lightning, before appearing to crush it. "In our experience, no secret is really a secret. Have a look at greek mythology, for example. A group of immortals, living on a mountain, hailing from Olymp – that does sound familiar.

Back to the names, though. Arthur, meanwhile, is well connected with my other names. In Celtic, artos is the bear, and in Germanic arnthor is 'Thor, the eagle', also honouring my good friend and fellow god of thunder."

The President finally nodded in understanding, before peering at the other man intently. "You dodged my question regarding my recruitment, though."

Again, Arthur grinned disarmingly. "I am sorry, that was not my intention. Recruitment is a harsh word, here. We do not have membership badges, or force you to do our bidding. Membership, as you call it, means simply being aware of our existence, and working towards our goal. It means pooling our resources to work more efficiently. Any more questions?"

"Actually," the President surprised Arthur, "I am more interested in how your story continues. I suspect you will still not answer the really interesting questions, anyways."

"If it is of any consolidation, you are about to find out, anyways."

.

Zeus groaned as the bright like flooded past his still half closed eyelids, violently waking him from his peaceful slumber. He was sprawled out on the floor, his head resting against a gentle upcurve of the terrain, his nose just peaking past the high grass surrounding the immortal.

As his mind slowly drifted back to conscience, the last pictures his eyes had seen rushed through his thoughts once again. The battle in the Wraith ship, staying back to enable his comrades to flee uninhibited, forcing his power to flow, and finally pain as his body dissolved, before a calming bliss both overwhelmed and protected his mind.

With a start, Zeus sat up, his hands hastily patting down his naked body. So far, he had been spared from the experience of waking up alone in some field, although his comrades had often described death as painful, and the waking up as disorienting, if somewhat soothing. Now, for the first time, Zeus appreciated what they were talking about.

"Are you going to sit there all day, or will you start walking." The amused voice right behind him caused Zeus to jump to his feet, his arms instinctively coming up to cover his body from an attack. While he was unconcerned with his nudity, he was well aware that the lack of clothes could be a distinct disadvantage in a fight, mainly due to him being more easily scrapped rolling over the floor.

The stranger observing him smiled amusedly, holding up one hand to show it empty and non-threatening while the other held a simple tunic. "That is really no way to greet an old friend, is it?"

Zeus did not let his guard down, but moved slightly closer to inspect the stranger in front of him.

The man appeared to be a quiet healthy individual in his mid thirties, with wide, strong shoulders and brown, shaggy hair. His skin was tanned, but not overly so, leading the immortal to believe the man had grown up in relatively mild climate. What made Zeus falter for a moment, though, were the stranger's eyes. The two pale grey orbs held a hint of steel, a determination that surprised the immortal, but more importantly, they hinted at a wisdom that seemed completely out of place in such a young man's soul. Strangely, they also appeared to be familiar to Zeus.

"Who are you?" For a moment, the immortal wondered who had spoken so rudely, before realizing it was his own voice. The stranger appeared to be unaffected by his tone, though, continuing to smile amusedly.

"Now, now, my friend, I know it has been a while, and I am a bit younger then when we last met, but I thought I would have made a more lasting impression on you, Thundering Eagle – or do you actually prefer Zeus now?"

Suddenly, the last pieces fell together in the elder's mind. "Moros! The Asgard told us you had went on, though. They called it Ascension, the leaving behind of this existence."

The ancient nodded in confirmation, finally turning his full attention to the conversation with the man he had found.

"Although it is easily possible, few of my people ever decide to leave that existence behind and retake a body as I did. Of course, most of them do not care about the problems facing the fleshlings, either. I am glad to see you well, young friend."

Zeus still appeared to be perplexed. "We did not dare to hope to see you again. There are so many questions we have to ask you."

"Let's walk and talk, then. I am unsure how much time I will be granted by the others of my kind before they choose to interfere, and we have a long way to go and a lot more to achieve beforehand. Plus, your friends will be most anxious to meet you." Moros proposed while throwing the bundle of clothes to Zeus.

"So you know where we are? I theorized to be somewhere in Scandinavia, based on the landscape and the location of my death, but I had yet to undoubtably identify a landmark to help me along."

"Indeed we are. Come, it is a good day's walk to the beacon your friends left behind for you at the crash site. I shall explain why I am here on the way." Moros urged once again.

"You might remember," the Alteran began, "that the last time we talked, I spoke about a large threat to the humans, and all other sentient lifeforms."

Zeus nodded the moment his head reemerged after putting on the tunic. "At the time, I presumed you were talking about the Goa'uld, but we just recently met the Asgard, who taught us about the history of your people. Even back then, you told me about an enemy who had defeated you - the Wraith."

"They were who I had in mind then." Moros confirmed. "I am afraid, though, that the situation has become even worse since."

Zeus raised his eyebrows in wonder. "Even with only a single hive, we had plenty of problems containing them. They defeated you, who were the most advanced race to ever exist in the known universe. I am unsure how we are supposed to defeat somebody even more powerful."

"You are not." Moros replied dryly. "As I explained back when: Your task is to protect humanity; humanity's task is to protect everybody else. I am simply here to provide them with the means necessary."

"So how can we help?" Zeus questioned immediately.

"Typical." The descended being mocked. "I propose an impossible task, and you immediately offer your help. Of course, that is what made you be."

"Oh?" Zeus' interest was peaked, but the other man ignored him.

"Many million years ago, my people, the Alterans, split into two fractions. Most of us believed that religious fervour was the ultimate way, while a few, my own ancestors, saw scientific understanding as the one, ultimate truth. A great dispute eventually broke out, that only ended when my ancestors were forced to flee, and settled in this galaxy, while the others remained in theirs, far away.

For a long, long time, we lived separately, never even seeing each other or hearing about the others' deeds. Both of us eventually reached a level of scientific understanding, though, that made us question what it was that came beyond this existence.

As you know from the Asgard, we, the Ancients or later Lanteans, eventually found Ascension, where we shed our physical body to evolve into a being of pure energy, able to comprehend and influence the world around us on a whole new level. I will explain more about this later, though, as I suspect your comrades will want to hear it, as well."

Once again, Zeus interest peaked as he understood what the other man was implying. There was only one reason why his comrades would be interested in this topic particularly.

"At about the same time, our former brethren managed to reach a similar existence, if through a somewhat different means. Again, I will explain later. Their philosophy has since been corrupted, however. They quickly discovered that the worship of other, lower beings actually increased their own powers, so they established themselves as gods over the humans in their galaxy, and begun a crusade to conquer and subjugate more."

"So they are on their way here?" Zeus questioned somewhat fearfully.

"They probably would be, would they know this galaxy exists. Due to our efforts in terraforming this galaxy's planets, and the seeding of life here, the density of sentient life here is higher then anywhere else in the known galaxy. It would be a great prize to conquer - both for the Ori and the Wraith - but so far, we, the Ancients, have used our own powers to hide this galaxy from the former, and the later normally do not possess the technology to come here."

"OK, so we are safe for now." the immortal acknowledged relieved. "Can you not use your powers to fight the Ori before they find us here?"

"I wish we could." Moros confirmed. "There are a few problems with that, however. When we reached this level of existence, we swore never to use our powers to meddle in the affairs of the lower planes of existence - this plane here where we came from in particular. The temptations to play gods as the Ori do to their people were deemed too great.

The concept of fighting, not to defend our own life or innocents, but to destroy another life, is also horrid to my people, as it is to all other sufficiently advanced races. Even the possibility that someday the Ori might become a threat does not justify a war.

Most importantly, however, is that the Ori are a lot more powerful then we are. When we fled originally, only a small fraction of the Alterans followed the path of knowledge. As a result, there are far fewer of us, even today, then there ever were of the Ori. Of course, the great plague that wiped out my people and the war with the Wraith did not help our numbers, either."

Zeus nodded mutely. "So, once again, what is the plan? How can we help?"

"Well, I am afraid I do not really have a concrete plan. I guess I should rather call it a lead. First of all, we should probably brief your friends on what I already told you. Then, I'll explain to you what I know or suspect about your nature, and then, if you are still interested, we will explore possibilities of influencing higher planes of existence."

Zeus grimaced as he heard the vague outline the other man provided. "That sounds like you have absolutely nothing to help us along here."

"Not much, unfortunately. As I said earlier, I only have a few leads. Well, two of them, actually. I'll explain later, since you first have to understand this stuff more." Moros confirmed.

Zeus halted suddenly, his eyes closing in concentration, before snapping open, twinkling merrily. "Well, this is good timing. Apparently, Hermes is patrolling a few hundred kilometres south of here. He will be by in a few moments to pick us up.

In the meantime, why don't you tell me why you did not simply wait to speak to all of us at once, instead of searching me out alone."

"Caught that, have you?" Moros asked rhetorically. "I had a few reasons, really. For once, I do not imagine just appearing in your home would go over well. You would feel threatened, and I did not wish to be perceived that way. Worst case, you might have attacked instantly, and while I did retain some of my powers, I do not thing I could match you alone, never mind all of you together.

Most of all, though, I wished to talk to you privately, first. If I could persuade you to help me, the others are most likely to follow your lead. While we are walking here, you have nothing better to do, so I figured you'd at least hear me out."

"I believe," Zeus replied after a moment of thought, "that I would have listened to you, regardless. You are the only one we ever met who might have some clue as to what we are, and we are all eager to know more. Additionally, we have wholeheartedly embraced the quest you have given us back in Shank'anon. Your new task is simply an extension of that.

I don't think, however, the others will follow just because I say so. I may be the oldest, but I am not their leader. We are all equal."

"We'll see about that. I believe you are mistaken. Of course, they will question the plan and form their own opinion, but in the end, they will follow your decision." Moros grinned.

"Only because it is the right one." Zeus muttered dejectedly, well aware there would be no way to proof either theory.

Before the Ancient had a chance to reply, a shimmering in the air drew both men's attention as a small craft uncloaked.

"I did not know you had cloaking technology, already. It will make our task so much simpler when we can simply remodel one of your phase-shift generators." Moros exclaimed in delight as Hermes opened the entry hatch, causing the new arrival to raise an eyebrow.

"It's a long story." Zeus said as a way of explanation, before correcting the alien. "We do have some phase-shifting devices in testing, still, but this cloak here simply bends the visual light away from the ships hull."

"Ah well," Moros exclaimed, apparently unfazed. "I will simply use the opportunity to teach you about phase shift, then."

"We'll explain on the island." Zeus remarked as he noticed Hermes still standing, observing them curiously. "For now, could you alert the others to return as soon as possible? We have some news that will interest them."

"I already took the liberty to do so." Hermes confined. "We were all most relieved to hear you finally returned."

"You can hardly expect me to walk away from the heart of a hive unscratched, can you?" Zeus questioned confused. "You should have expected this. Or did something new happen already?"

"What, no, nothing big, at least. Some minor hereditary disputes. A few famishes and droughts, but we were easily able to handle it all. But Zeus, you were gone for over a hundred years!"

Zeus' eyes bludged as he turned to his companion accusingly. "You could have mentioned that."

"Would it have really made a difference?" Moros defended himself. "Besides, we had more important things to discuss. What is time when you are immortal."

Zeus grumbled a bit as he sat down in the crafts cockpit, only to jerk his head around immediately after. "You refitted the ship!"

"Actually, this is a new ship. With the Asgard gone, more of us wished to get back out into the world, so we had to expand the fleet. Of course, we incorporated some new designs here, but most of it is superficial. You know, correcting all those annoying quirks the pilots keep complaining about, getting some more used controls and displays closer to you - those kind of things. Optimization." Hermes explained as he sat down at the controls. "To the island then, I presume?"

During the flight, Zeus began questioning his friend on the happenings of the past century, before turning to the events directly after their mission into the Wraith Hive. "So, the Asgard left quickly, then, I presume? Did they return yet?

"Their ships left orbit the day after we destroyed the Wraith. Thor sends you his greetings, by the way, and hopes you understand he could not wait for you to return. A small shuttle came by a few decades ago, giving us more information on these replicators and reports on the war.

Apparently, the Asgard still underestimated their enemies. After a few large victories, Thor had to split his fleet as well, since the Replicators appeared all over their territory. Eventually, he was pushed back, but managed to establish a stable defence line. The shuttle crew was eager to get back, though. Apparently, the war is fast-paced and highly dynamic, with both sides throwing absolutely everything they can at the enemy. Thor ordered them to us in case they lost, so we had a chance to analyze their data and come up with a counter-strategy."

When they finally arrived, Hermes did not bother to fly to the small hangar they had installed on the eastern side of the island, hidden in the steep cliffs, but instead landed right on the central marketplace, uncloaking the moment he could be sure not to be seen from the nearby mainland.

"So this is my new Avalon then." Moros murmured as he stepped out of the shuttle.

Zeus, walking nearby, perked his ears. "Avalon? I thought that's what you called this galaxy. What does this have to do with our island?"

"It is." Moros explained absently as he continued to view the buildings around him, taking in the massive stone structures. "Originally, though, Avalon simply meant 'our home'. The first Ancients chose the name simply by familiarity. Just like you call this 'the island' because you have always done though. You know, I expected more from your home."

"We are still looking for a good name, though. I like Avalon. If you do not mind, maybe I will propose it to the others. So far, we had been afraid to overrepresent a race here on Earth if we chose to name our home in their language. We considered the Asgard's language, but it is simply unpronounceable without training. What do you mean, more? Are you not omniscient after your ascension?" Zeus asked.

"Do what you want. It is a good name, but no better then any other." Moros agreed. "Ascension is no deification, but a change of existence. We know what we learn, even if it is easier to understand things, and even easier to observe. Your whole existence has always been a mystery to us, but due to what you are, we usually kept our distance."

"What we are? And did you just say 'we'?" Hades questioned as they came to a stop in front of the other immortals gathered on the square.

"Moros, my brothers and sisters. At the very front here is Hades, who has lived and worked with me since a few centuries after we first met. Friends, this is Moros of the Ancients. He has a new task for us."

Over the next hour, after moving to their cafeteria, Moros once again explained the history of his people, and the threat the Ori presented. Finally, though, Hades broke in impatiently.

"Yes, yes. This is all nice, but we discussed it before. Zeus trusts you, so we will of course help you." Here, Moros could not help but throw a smug grin at the oldest immortal. "Now, though, could you maybe explain your plan, and more importantly, tell us what you know about us? We have waited a long time to find out."

"For an immortal," Zeus teased his friend, "your patience is surprisingly thin at times."

"He is right, though." Moros agreed to everyone's surprise. "You know enough to follow. We can talk about details once we outlined all we have to do, and you have a rough understanding of what is going on.

As I said before, there are two leads I wish to follow up on. The first is your very nature, which I will explain in a moment. I am hoping that maybe you can provide me with further insights into the nature of Ascension."

"That is ridiculous." Poseidon interrupted. "What would we know about Ascension. We still have a physical body, so we are obviously not ascended."

"Your powers, however, are closely related to ours, if slightly weaker." the descended being explained patiently. "The second lead I have is a small stone, which I hope to acquire here on Earth."

"Well, we have enough of them. Any specific kind or size you are talking about?" Hades joked.

"As you know, ascended beings are made up purely of energy. Therefore, we can penetrate any matter to study it from the inside, down to the molecular level, which, coupled with the fact that our speed of thought and our memory is not limited by a physical shell, is what gives the apparence of omnipotence. There seems to be one substance, though, that strangely enough, completely prevents us from interacting with it. Here on Earth, only one such stone has been excavated, which is now part of the family treasure of the Count of Normandy."

"The Count of Where?" Zeus questioned confused.

"A few years ago, an invading viking named Rollo suffered defeat at the hands of King Charles the Simple of France and was forced to swear fidelity to him. In exchange, he was granted the title of Count, along with extensive lands on France's northern coast. They have been called 'Normandy' after the Count's origins ever since." Demeter explained.

"Count Rollo, or now Robert, is old and paranoid, though. I doubt we will be able to trade for the stone with him, or even propose a trade to him, for that matter. We might have better luck with his son, William I., once he inherits." Herakles put in. "I have been undercover there up to a year ago, getting to know the new nobel family." he explained, noticing Zeus' inquering look.

"It will take a few years until I am ready to begin experimentation with the stone, anyways." Moros announced. "First, we will have to create equipment, and eventually a way to hide our doing from the others of my race. I doubt they would approve."

"Did you not say the Ori were perceived as a threat?" Zeus asked.

"They are, but unfortunately, most believe said threat to be well contained. Instead, the research we are attempting could threaten them just as it could the Ori. I doubt they will allow it for long, even if it means risk getting close to you."

"So how will you hide us?" Charon asked interested. "You just said the only material able to hold them back is a small stone you do not yet understand. I doubt we could build a whole room out of it."

"I suspect we are going to leave this universe." Zeus answered cryptically.

"Exactly." Moros confirmed. "We will build a small room somewhere which we put out of phase. The others can not access it, if we secure the entrance with a physical lock. Disturbing it would mean violating their highest law – that of non-interference with the lower planes."

"Unless, of course, they are merely trying to undo your interference." Hades catastrophised.

"It will not come to that. I am sure." Moros sounded confident enough that non of the others protested.

"So then, you can finally tell us about what we are." Demeter proposed eagerly, causing the others to lean forward as well.

"Very well, then. I suppose I should start with what we know about the process of ascension. My people have always held science above all other truths. With every new piece of information we uncovered, many new mysteries would appear, much like it does for you now.

Eventually, though, we reached a level of understanding where we could explain more and more observations immediately; where we understood the world around us almost completely. Eventually, most of our scientists turned back to those questions all sentient live asks itself, but few ever truly figure out. What are we, where do we come from and where are we going?

We had many different takes on these questions. I myself specialized in temporal quantum anomalies and succeeded in creating a working time machine to study our own history before the Atlantian Council shut the project down, fearing a paradox. Eventually, a team of scientists began to speculate what would happen to us when our brain overloads. For millenia, my people had observed a slow but steady increase of our simultaneous nervous activities, up to the point where 75 percent of our synapses fired at the same time, due to natural evolution." Poseidon whistled quietly as he compared that number to the meagre 10 percent normal humans used at any given moment.

Moros ignored him. "Eventually, they speculated that to prevent an overuse, the brain would change to compensate the new input, up until the point where they are forecasted the complete shedding of all physical restrictions, thus creating the theory of Ascension.

One of our spiritual leaders eventually managed to ascend when his mind shed all fleshly needs and desires. Most of my people then used a combination of both methods – evolution and spirituality – to ascend. Later on, we discovered a third way. An already ascended being can pull up another being into a higher plane."

"So what does that have to do with what we are?" Hades questioned. "Obviously, we still have a physical body, and needs and desires as well."

"Some humans believe in the existence of a soul, do they not?" Moros asked suddenly, causing the others to blink for a moment at the sudden change in topic, before nodding.

"There is no evidence of one existing, though. Even we and the Asgard together have been unable to find an incorporal essence in us." Demeter argued.

"Of course there is." Moros disagreed immediately, now smiling. "Ascension is simply the soul leaving its physical restrictions and interacting with the universe directly.

What happened to you is something we never even anticipated. Your soul sort of peaked out of its cage, your bodies, and then decided that it did not really want to go, coming back in, while also maintaining a small connection, an awareness to the universe at large. It's what grants you your powers, which are immense, but still nothing compared to those of true ascension."

"So we are just a small exception to the rule, and most humans eventually ascend completely? Why did no Alteran ever do what we are doing?" Zeus enquired.

"The human genome is not yet advanced enough for normal ascension, but it does carry some genetic markers of my kind. Complete spiritual ascension is difficult at best. Those who manage to do so normally spent their whole live meditating with the expressed goal to ascend. At the same time, there is a process that greatly helped you along in your shedding of your physical hull." Moros explained.

"Dying." Zeus guessed. "All of us died before we were reborn."

"Yes," Moros confirmed. "Once you were dead, you accepted that you would leave this existence behind. Your soul left your body, and, because you sacrificed yourself, gave your complete physical being to save an innocent live, you ascended."

"But we held back. We had something to live for so we forced our own souls back into our body. Is it really that controllable? I had expected dying, as well as ascension, to be involuntary processes." Demeter remembered.

"Dying is involuntary, of course." Moros confirmed. "But Ascension is all about taking control of all your being, including passing on into the next life. Eventually, some of us decide to do so, and maybe it is for the better. After all, otherwise the universe would be swarmed with us, even as large as it is. We either retake a fleshly form as I have, or pass on directly."

"So your presence here is a suicide attempt?" Persephone questioned, horrified.

"Of course not." the Ancient placated immediately. "I am here to do what must be done, before eventually ascending once again. This body may appear human, but it is far more advanced, I can assure you. Where were we?"

"We know know that we are humans with a soul connected to the outside, anchoring us in this live. What we want to know now is how that helps you, and how we will continue." Hades summed up. "What about our children, then? Charon here, my son, and Shining Wolf, Zeus' son, have our powers and appear to live just as long as we do, but Herakles' daughter, while showing signs of powers, was nowhere near as strong, and died within a normal human lifespan."

"Well, most of what I just told you is speculation on my part, especially since we did not want to risk interfering with you if you could detect our presence somehow. But as far as I am informed, it takes two of you to actually produce a new immortal.

The offspring of a single ascended being with a normal human would show some the ability to channel their powers, but not the ability to tap into the higher planes. Without that power, they can not maintain prolonged attacks as they have to use the finite energy stored into their own body. Eventually, their cells fail as they run out of energy, and they age just as a normal human would." Moros explained.

"Are you implying I killed my daughter every time I thought her to use her powers?" Herakles questioned, horrified.

"Of course not." Moros denied immediately. "The body uses energy all the time, for movement, regeneration and to sustain life. The difference is, theoretically, you can overuse easily here. In sports, when you tire, you simply slow and eventually stop. When using, however it is much easier to completely exhaust your self, to the point where it damages your body, since you actually take energy from every cell in your body at once. Proper nutrition is likely essential."

"Okay, so a single-immortal-parent kid" Poseidon begun to summerize.

"That's quiet a mouthful." Hades mumbled, causing a few grins, but Poseidon paid his friend no attention. "can use, but not tap, so they are mortal. Kids from two of us have all our abilities, as Charon has proven already. What do we do now?"

"First of all, we have to build a safe haven for our work out of face, before analyzing what you are, exactly, in hopes of finding clues there. Then, we will acquire this stone to analyze. Unless, of course, you have any objections." Moros concluded.

"Just one, actually. It seems like a wast of time to wait to scout out that stone. It might take a while to get it, so we might as well start immediately." Zeus objected. "How do we identify the thing?"

Moros halted in the pacing he had taken up for a moment. "That is actually a good question, but one I have never thought about. Do you have something to write?" Somebody passed some paper and a pencil to the front and Moros leaned down to begin sketching.

"As far as I know, the stone is about a finger's thickness in diameter, bordered in gold, with two dragon ornaments running along its length, meeting at the top to so their flames form an eyelet. The amulet is to be worn around the neck." Moros reported.

"What about its history? Do we know where we can currently find it? I really don't fancy going through his whole palace and even his lands, searching for something the size of a marble without even knowing it's colour." Zeus chased up.

"The stone is reddish brown, close to the colour of blood and a few shades darker then a ruby. I already know where it is, too." Herakles admitted. Seeing the others' curious looks, he continued. "You are not going to like this, though. This sketch," he lightly tapped his knuckles onto the drawing on the table, "looks an awful lot like the necklace the count keeps on his person at all times."

"An insignia?" Poseidon questioned in horror.

"No, thankfully not." Herakles denied immediately. "I once heard him say it was an old family heirloom, though, brought from the lands of the North and passed through his line for years."

"Do you think we can persuade him to part with it?" Zeus questioned.

"The old Count? No way, he's a traditionalist. His son once he inherits it, possibly, though only if we manage to find the right price. Either way, though, it won't be easy." Herakles mused.

"Tell me about those two." Zeus ordered. "What did you find out when you where there? Did you actually infiltrate the palace, and can we reuse your cover?"

"I was a simple palace guard, picked for my prowess in combat. It allowed me to get in, while not being under any major surveillance. We can, of course, do it again, and I might even have a slight advantage to other recruits since I know what the Count is looking for in his soldiers." Herakles theorized.

"Rollo was a minor nobleman with a few hundred man in arms in southern Norway. By any standard, he would not have been worth mentioning. He was part of an army attacking Paris in 886, and raided different parts of France, until finally, in 911, King Charles the Simple decided to nuter him through a treaty.

He made Rollo Count of his court and gave him a stretch of land and his bastard daughter to marry, while forcing the successful viking to be baptized and swear fertility to him. Rollo has since ruled with a hard but surprisingly fair hand.

He is said to be completely loyal to his king and true to his word, but ruthless to his enemies. His people do not revere him, or even like him, but they respect and accept him, and do not hate him. They life peaceful, content lives. For a former warrior, he makes a fair ruler, but I would not put him in charge of too many."

"And his son? You all mentioned him to be the better choice." Zeus questioned when Herakles finished his report.

"His father made sure to hire the best tutors money could buy for William. It payed off, since for this age, the lad is a surprisingly modern, well rounded individuum with interest in the fine arts and even political theory. Of course, he is still young, having just turned sixteen years of age, and I doubt he will make drastic changes once he inherits his father's lands, but he does appear to appreciate the value of diplomacy and negotiation." Herakles speculated.

"What do you know about the Count's health? We can not approach his son to negotiate until he officially succeeded his father."

"Last that I heard, the father was beginning to show first signs of old age. When he came to France, fifty years ago, he was a young lad, barely a man. Now, he should be approaching seventy, which is still considered ancient in Europe. Not surprising, really, considering they completely disregard proper hygiene. At best, I'd say he has five years."

"Very well." Zeus finally decided. "Hades, would you mind remaining here to coordinate with Moros? Make sure he has everything he needs, and help him set up a lab. Herakles, I'd like you to accompany me to France and scout the palace. Maybe we can even find a way to swipe the stone without anybody noticing or caring. Iris, Charon, could you provide back-up?"

Herakles nodded immediately, having expected the request, while Hades did not even bother with a reply. Zeus knew he could count on his friend. The two younger immortals, though, appeared surprised to be chosen for such an important mission, considering all the ancients were on hand as well.

"We are only going in for recon for now, but I want to have two teams available to draw on, if necessary. Besides, a travelling party of four draws less attention than two men alone would, and I thought you might like to get out into the world." Zeus explained, easily reading the confusion on their faces. "Most of all, though, I do know I can count on every one of you. You might be young in this particular group, but do not forget you can claim seniority on almost everybody else on this island, and everybody on the planet."

"So I'll go pack my gear, then; check on my armour and review my notes." Herakles stood to leave, causing Iris and Charon to stand with him. "I think we'll let you old folks catch up for a while and prepare as well. See you later?"

Zeus nodded to his godson. "You don't have to go, but I'll be around, of course. Speaking of armour, though, " Zeus turned to Poseidon. "I'm afraid mine was probably destroyed with the hive, but I rather liked it. Do you think we can make another one?"

Poseidon grinned at his elder. "Actually, we already made you a new one, figuring it would not hurt to have it available. The Asgard left us all kinds of resources here when they left and visited, so we should have enough Trinium for all minor tasks, even without synthesizing it. We did not paint it black this time, though. The paint did not hold up to our moves on the ship and had scratched and chipped off, making it look rather ridiculous in addition to negating any stealth advantage. We figured why bother then. For travels, I'd recommend covering it with a cape so you don't draw attention, though."

Poseidon hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure of how to continue.

"Speaking of the Hive, though: what happened in there? The Asgard's sensors picked up a large explosion moments before their charges went of. According to them, the energy signature was close to, but not exactly that of an anti-matter explosion. Did you cause that?"

"Thank you." Zeus smiled, before pausing to think for a moment. Looking back, he realized the question had been sitting on Poseidon's mind ever since Zeus returned. "To be honest, I'm not perfectly sure what happened in there. When I separated from you, I knew that I was fighting a lost battle. On the other hand, had I not stayed behind, I am sure the Wraith would have pursued us and overrun us, or at least stalled us until the charges went of.

I had perhaps twenty seconds to prepare, so I started drawing in energy. I figured I'd need all I can get, so I began buffering."

"Hold on, " Hades interrupted his friend. "Buffering?"

Zeus shrugged. "I don't know, the name fits, though. Have you ever tried to take energy, but not to use it right away? I could feel it cruising through my body, pulsing as if eager for something to do."

Amused, the elder observed as the whole table sans Moros closed his eyes to focus. Moments later, Hestia's finger tip lit up with a soft white glow. "No, try to hold it in, Hestia," he her corrected softly. "As the young woman cursed and tried again, Hades opened his eyes. "Woa! What a feeling."

Zeus nodded. "I pulled up as much energy as I was able to. It was the strangest feeling, ever. At first, the tiredness simply vanished from my muscles, before I felt as if I could do anything. Then, I became hyperaware, I guess you could say. All of a sudden, I was able to make out details from afar I had never even seen up close before, could discern distinct sounds from what was before a single, monotone sea of noises. In the end, it felt like time itself slowed down. The Wraith began moving in slow-motion, while I could react normally."

"It is definitely something we never even tried before." Hades commented, his eyes shining excitedly at the thought of something new to experiment with.

"And something that sounds worth exploring further." Athene added.

Poseidon turned back to Zeus. "It still does not explain the explosion, though."

"No, that came later." The other elder agreed. "Just before the first Wraith reached my position, I let loose with everything I had. You remember Egypt? Ra's courtyard?" Knowing that the remaining group had all fought in Egypt, even if some of them had not been in the courtyard, he continued without waiting for a reply. "It was like that, only much more intense. The bodies literally disintegrated before my eyes. I was a one man army.

In the end, though, after slaughtering a few dozen lives, there were too many. I could feel myself running out of power, and I did not have the concentration to grasp even more energy from the void, so I began pulling for anything I could find."

Zeus paused for a moment, closing his eyes in deep thought. "I still do not understand completely what happened." he continued, his voice slow and his words carefully chosen. "All of a sudden, I had new energy available. So much energy, in fact, that I could not fully control it. Only when I looked down my arm, extended towards the approaching army, did I fully appreciate the trouble I was in. My fingertips slowly dissolved in a brightly glowing white light. Even as I watched, the process sped up and the released energy increased."

Zeus hesitated once more. "I have not felt that helpless since the day I was reborn. Even when we dealt with the Goa'uld, I always felt we had a chance. Standing in that ship, though, I could not control the process. No matter how hard I tried, the process sped up further.

In the end, about half of my palms were already gone, the only thing I could think of was taking away what was feeding it, so I turned gathered all the energy I could, and released it onto myself. I guess it did not work."

Poseidon frowned. "I think it did, actually. From the Asgard, we learnt about the connection between energy and matter. They use it to create matter from energy. I think you created energy from matter."

"It would explain why the energy spectrum was similar to that of an anti-matter explosion." Zeus agreed, nodding slowly. "But the energy released during the interaction of matter and anti-matter is way too much, at least if you assume my body was turned to energy."

Poseidon shook his head, but Hades beat him to the answer. "It was not, your plan worked. The moment you destroyed your body, the reaction stopped, but the remaining energy exploded outwards."

Poseidon nodded in agreement. "Combined with the energy you gathered while tapping, it would explain the size of explosion the Asgard registered. It's a good thing you did stop it. Converting your whole body mass would have left a sizable hole in the planet. Most likely, there would not be a whole lot of life left."

"Also, this might explain why you have been gone for so long." Moros speculated. "You exhausted yourself completely, and it took you this long to gather enough energy from the void to create a new body. I suspect that every time one of you dies, they instinctively create a new hull through energy to matter conversion."

Zeus gulped. "Okay, note to self, do not blow myself up again. The risk is too great." Solemnly, the whole table nodded.

"Also," Moros commented, "it might be a good idea to keep that use of your powers to yourselves. The less people know, the less can be tempted."

Zeus frowned. "It was on your word that I trusted everyone on this island unconditionally. I never regretted the decision."

Demeter covered Zeus' hand with her own. "He is right, though. There is no use in them knowing, but there is a risk."

"They might need to know it to prevent it from happening." Zeus argued.

"So when we meet somebody who can match you or Hades in terms of power, we will fill them in. Until then, it simply prevents somebody from going all the way."

"You know as well as I do, that we all have access to the same power."

"And yet, you, Zeus, have the greatest focus to allow you to draw on this power. Your whole live centres on your powers and their use to protect humanity." Moros explained. "Demeter is right. It is a fair compromise."

Zeus frowned, but nodded eventually. "So what else have you guys been up to. I can't stand all those negative thoughts. Give me gossip!"

Hades punched Zeus shoulder lightly. "Man, you can be such a girl, sometimes." he exclaimed, immediately earning himself his own smack from his wife.

"And what exactly is wrong with that?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing dangerously, causing the rest of the group to burst into fits of laughter.


	17. 17 At Court

**Chapter 17: At Court**

Zeus sighed in annoyance as he looked up to the balcony. A year and a half ago, Hades had dropped him, Herakles, Charon and Iris off at the edge of town. After a quick tour, Charon and Iris opened a small bakery near the palace, while he and Herakles attempted to infiltrate the palace by joining the guard once again.

Over a year of undercover work, with minimal contact to the others, and lots of gruesome work, and his first chance to see the Count would be along with everybody else. For moths, rumours of the degrading health of their ruler had spread through the people, and today, finally, a herald had announced the death of Count Rollo.

The people living around the palace, in the city of Rouen, had therefore converged on the main square, to get a first look at their new ruler. After all, meeting him and not recognizing him might well be the last mistake one made these days.

For Zeus and his three companions, however, it gave them the chance to scout their target and find out whether or not he was still wearing the necklace they were looking for.

"Count Rollo is dead." A herald announced from underneath the balcony once more. "All kneel. I present to you, Count William the First. Long live the Count."

Careful not to appear to bold, Zeus untilted his head from his completely submissive pose, until his eyes finally found the young count at the edge of his vision. Immediately, Zeus' focused on the man standing less then fifty meters away from him, high over his head.

Count William I. was a young ruler, barely over twenty years of age. He stood strong and upright over his people, though, inspecting each of the bend bodies in front of him carefully with pale blue eyes. His brown hair had been cut short until the small, golden crown on his head almost hid it completely.

Most important to Zeus, however, was the small, golden chain around his neck, ending in the amulet the immortals had been searching for since two years ago. From the way the new Count fidgeted under his crown, but ignored the chain, Zeus theorized he had worn it for longer then just since his crownation.

Completely lowering his head once more, Zeus waited patiently until the souverain disappeared back into his chambers, before following the mass of pesants out of the square and heading over into the small bakery Charon and Iris ran.

Zeus arrived thrid, but only had to wait for a few moments before Herakles stepped in through the back door as well.

"So, that was interesting." Charon commented after a moment, when nobody else spoke up.

"I had rather hoped we would get a chance to get into the palace before this, actually." Herakles mused, repeating Zeus' earlier thoughts.

Iris sighed. "I doubt we are really going to make progress, here, actually. To prevent assassins to get close to him, the Count will be careful not to change his habits or servants now. It might take years until a new dynamism develops in the staff."

"So we approach the Count directly, then? Ask him to trade for the necklace?" Charon questioned.

"I doubt he will go for it – not anymore." Herakles put in immediately. "Today, he chose to present the necklace to all his subjects. Now, he will have to keep a good record of it, since, in a way, he chose to elevate it to be an insignia. It is now connected to his rule."

"So, then what do we do?"

"We steal it." Zeus answered Charon's question, looking uncomfortable with the idea. "We will have to. The only question is, how do we do that, and when do it?"

"Right now, the palace guard will be extra careful, to make a good first impression and to prevent assassinations." Iris pointed out.

"Right. So we wait a few weeks, but go in before the Count can really whip his guard into shape once again and trim them to his needs. I want this to be perfect, so we'll need time to prepare, anyways." Zeus agreed. "Herakles, tomorrow, you will go to your superior and hand in your resignation. Make something up about your brother's death and your claim to the family's home and crops. I will leave tonight, and disappear as a deserter. It should be enough not to link us together.

The two of us will return to Avalon to get supplies, before returning here in...let's say two weeks?"

"And the two of us will make use of the nights to find out where the Count sleeps and where the guards are stationed." Charon guessed, causing Zeus to nod.

Two weeks later, Zeus and Herakles reentered the city through the northern gate after having slightly altered their faces, pulling a small cart behind them. Dressed in non-distinctive clothes, the pair made its way through town and to the small bakery.

"Did you get everything?" Charon asked the moment they stepped through the door.

Zeus took a moment to make sure they were truly alone before answering. "Of course. Any problems here?"

"Well," Charon confessed, "we had a close call last night, when we got too close to the palace."

"You were seen? That could compromise the whole Op." Herakles questioned.

"We think we managed to pull back just before they managed to encircle us. Besides, there was no additional security in town today. We should be good." Iris reported as she stepped into the room from the back.

"So we are good? It's your call." Zeus asked.

"We're good." Iris confirmed once more. "What did you bring?"

Zeus stepped outside and waved to Herakles, who skillfully manoeuvered the cart through the small doorway and into the back room. Once he set the handle down, Zeus pulled of the non-distinctive cover cloths, revealing their cargo.

"Pretty much everything we need. Outfits, our armours, a couple of gadgets."

"So what are the swords for?" Charon questioned, picking one up. "In a fight, they would only hinder us, wouldn't they?"

"In a fight to the death, they would, but if we want to retreat, while maintaining our anonymity, we can not tap heavily. At best, we can use some of the new tricks Zeus taught us."

After his return from the dead, Zeus had shared his experience on the hive with his friends. Moros had been the one to solve the riddle of what had happened.

"Of course your reflexes appeared to be faster. They were. Your body needs energy for everything it does. When you supply it with more energy, it can work more efficiently."

As so often before, Zeus and Hades had the retreated to experiment, before returning a few weeks later, teaching the others to enhance their strength, reflexes and stamina.

"Be careful with these, as well." Zeus cautioned. "The swords are normal swords, made from steel. When you put your complete strength into a hit, you might well break the blade. They are here for another reason, however. If we are caught, not having a weapon on us during a mission such as this one would be extremely suspicious."

Six hours later, four figures dressed completely in black snug out of the back of the small cottage, appearing only every once in a while, when, as they hurried through a star-lit alley, a flash of naked steel would reflect the light from where the sheth or hilt bared the metal. Keeping to the shadows, the quartet slowly approached the palace, tiptoing and crouching to avoid the patrols enforcing curfew.

"Now this is where it gets tricky." Zeus mused as they came to a stop outside of the outer wall. Rollo, despite living at peace since the signing of the treaty with the King of France, was a warrior at heart and had designed his home accordingly.

The mighty bergfried of the palace of Rouen stood high over the remaining buildings of the city, guarded by two mighty walls and a deep trench between them.

What worried Zeus the most, however, were the guards patrolling on and around the wall. He had no doubt he and his comrades could easily defeat them, or even disable them without lasting damage, but ideally, they did not plan to leave behind any trace they had been there.

The group waited for a few minutes, until a gap appeared in the outermost patrol. As one, the four figures stepped out of the shadow they had hid in and moved towards the wall, jogging at a comfortable pace. At this point, speed was important to minimize the time they were exposed, but not important enough to go all out and risk exhaustion early on.

As such, the group was still perfectly in sync when they arrived at the foot of the wall moments later and pushed of the ground. After a few moments being airborn, the four landed mid way up against the mighty stone wall, their hands extended forward.

Iris felt the breath being knocked out of her lungs as she landed. Despite not running at full speed, they had been moving fast, and subsequently, the impulse her body had experienced during the impact had been quite intense. Even with her enhanced physique, the three larger, muscular men had withstood the contact more easily then she had.

The moment his hands touched the wall, she felt the small laser drills in her sleeves getting warm as they dug into the solid stone, preparing it for the hooks that shot out of the same sleeves moments later.

Of course, they had plenty of technology available to them that would have made it even easier to cross the wall, but the chance of being seen, especially with the busy city still in their back, prevented them from using it.

For exactly that reason, Zeus had carefully chosen the night they would attempt this. It was new moon, and only the stars and the lanterns the patrols were carrying provided any light. In their black gowns, the group of four was therefore normally almost invisible to the naked eye. The green-grey of the stone and moss of the wall, however, provided enough contrast to make them distinguishable.

In their planning, the group had often discussed whether or not this stage of their mission was too risky. In the end, without the more obvious use of technology, there was no better alternative. As such, the group hung, waiting patiently until both the patrol on the wall was gone, and the one on the ground was fare enough away not to hear them scuffling.

"_Wait for it." _Zeus finally warned the others, mentally of course. _"Go!"_

Leaving the hooks, really just two simple straight pieces of metal, behind in order not to waste time, the group boosted upwards, before rolling over the top of the wall and into the ditch behind.

"_Great! I think they saw us." _Herakles exclaimed to his companions when he noticed sudden, hurried movements on the wall behind them.

"_Spread out." _Zeus commanded. _"Then hold still. Cover your faces. Crouch down."_

In the shadow of the two walls, the small, black figures were hardly visible. Apparently, however, the guards were well trained, since moments later, their lights shone over both edges and provided a hint of illumination for their search.

As Zeus realized their predicament, he was suddenly glad he had chosen to consult Hades on his experience with infiltrations once more while planing the mission. Reaching into his cloak, he curled his hand around a small data crystal in one of his numerous pockets. As he squeezed it, a quiet "Mew!" echoed through the ditch.

"It's only a cat." One of the guards directly over Zeus' head shouted out immediately, giving his lamp one last, customary swing, causing the immortal to grin in delight. Moments later, the lights began moving once more as the patrols continued their routes.

As he saw Herakles starting forward once again, the elder reached out with his mind. _"Give it a few moments. We've got time, and they will be more alert now. Let that pass."_

Once Zeus deemed enough time to have passed, the quartet began moving once more, crossing through the inner trench and scaling the outer wall in between two patrols.

Behind the second wall, after the small cobblestone walkway intended to enable the guards to quickly reenforce the patrols on the wall, lay a small garden with well maintained and clipped trees and hedges. Additionally, it was suspiciously empty and quiet.

"Unless there is an expressed threat, the guards on the outer wall are deemed sufficient to maintain security. From here on to the castle, we should not encounter anyone anymore. The remaining parts of the night shift are inside." Herakles explained quietly once he saw their leader's confusion, enjoying the ability to use his voice once again.

Zeus nodded, before fixing his comrades with a look. "I should not have to say this, but do not lax now. The mission is not yet over."

Chronos rolled his eyes with mock annoyance. "We know, Zeus. This is not our first mission."

Passing through the small park around the castle was remarkably easy, compared to getting in. No guards bothered the intruders, and, although they stayed off the normal paths, no major obstacles halted their progress. Within minutes, they were standing at the foot of the main building, looking up it's mighty walls.

"Let me guess," Zeus sighed in mock annoyance, "he is living in the highest room of the highest tower. How cliché."

"Actually, " Iris corrected, "the keep is used as a lookout, manned with no more then two guards, unless the castle is under attack. The Count resides somewhere in the East Wing on the third floor." Here, she gestured to the appropriate section of the building, where Zeus could clearly make out another few men standing guard at the front door, although, judging from their stance, they were throughly bored. They did block the only outside entrance to the wing, however.

"So, is there another entrance we can use?" he questioned.

"We found several more to the building, but non to that particular wing, probably for security reasons. Only the central tower is more isolated. We suspect there are a few more entrances inside, but they would be just as well guarded." Charon explained.

"There are and they are." Herakles confirmed immediately.

"Then what?" Zeus trusted the two scouts when they told him they had a viable plan, and had not questioned them further during the preparations.

Iris pointed up to the third floor, the first one with windows. "Glass is still rare and expensive, as well as fragile. During the winter, the windows are closed off with stretched pork bladders, but right now, since it is warm, they are simply holes in the wall."

"That's still the third floor." Herakles cautioned.

Charon shrugged. "It's not like the walls are perfectly smooth. We should not have a problem getting a good grip, even without equipment."

"So which window is the one we are heading for?" Zeus questioned as he inspected the wall, already planning a route.

Seeing Charon and Iris shrug helplessly, Herakles pointed up. "That room is the one the old count used to sleep in when I was here, and the biggest one in there, safe the main hall. It's as good as any other to start searching."

Once more, Zeus reached into his robes, pulling out a pair of thick gloves and motioning for his comrades to do the same. "The likelihood of anybody noticing is miniscule, and we can use the extra speed. I do not want to risk getting caught in the wall by a patrol happening to look up."

The moment he had put on the second glove, dozens of tiny hooks extended from the cloth. Experimentally, Zeus touched his flat hand against the wall, just over his shoulders. As his muscles flexed, the metal pins dug into the wall and his body lifted of the ground, the second arm hanging unused by his side.

Satisfied, the elder lowered himself back to the ground and nodded to his comrades, removing his hand by moving it slightly upwards. "Let's go."

Despite not being primarily defencive in nature as the outer walls had been, the castle's walls were even higher, and, for security reasons did not have any windows on the lower floors. As such, the four immortals were quickly thankful for their equipment, as it made the longer climb faster and easier.

Just over a minute and a half later, Zeus peeked over the edge of the window and into the room. For a moment, the intruder was disheartened to find it empty, before taking in the expensive clothes and furniture. Most likely, they were already in the Count's personal chambers. After a last glance back to his companions, to make sure they had not spotted any more trouble, their leader silently crept into the room.

"The corridor should be that way, and there are more rooms through there." Herakles whispered as he entered the room. "There are probably guardsstationed in the corridor, and servants close by."

Zeus nodded. "We should check out the other rooms, first, then. Iris, with me, Charon, Herakles, cover our backs. Stay quiet."

From the dressing room, the group crept into a small study, before finally finding the Count in his bedroom, asleep. The room itself was rather modest, with a second door leading back to the corridor, a small window, and a nightstand with some water right next to the bed.

"_Of course, he just has to sleep with the blasted thing." _Zeus grumbled mentally as he spotted the amulet still hanging around the nobleman's neck.

Carefully, the immortal crept forward, taking care to be perfectly quiet, before slowly lifting the pendulum of the sovereign's chest. With his left hand, he meanwhile drew the knife he always kept in his left boot and sliced through the leather cord.

"_Okay, phase one completed. Who has the replacement?" _Zeus finally sent his companions.

Iris stepped forward, tiptoeing lightly, while reaching into her pocket, leaving Herakles and Charon standing by the window in the back of the room. Extending her arm, she handed Zeus a duplicate of the stone, appearing almost identical to their loot, while accepting the original.

Just as Zeus lifted the Count's head to slip the leather cord over it, Iris mindlessly stepped backwards, crashing into the nightstand and causing a carafe to suddenly fall and smash noisily on the ground.

Immediately, the so far tranquil room exploded into a flurry of activities. The Count awoke with a start, spotted Zeus leaning over him, reached for a dagger hidden in the folds of his bed and screamed, causing guards to pour in from both the corridor and, moments later, the study, filling the room quickly.

Zeus jumped backwards, distancing himself from the now armed ruler and sliding into position to stand back to back with his Iris, while the other two assumed a similar defencive position in the back of the room, their arms extended and palms facing forward. After a moment of hesitation, as the four immortals suppressed their instinct to tap, four swords cleared their respective scabbards and came up, ready to fight.

At that moment, the Count spotted the fake amulet still dangling from Zeus' left hand."Who do you work for, and what do they want with my family's amulet? Guards, arrest them. Your heads will be the first to role, but not the last." To the immortal, it was obvious the young ruler seemed more afraid and confused, but also did not lack determination.

"Iris, give him his amulet." Zeus finally commanded, lowering his sword slightly.

"Err, what are you doing? And you have the amulet right there." Iris answered her superior, hoping to convince him to prevent him from giving up their capture. _"Zeus, we can get out of here, easily enough."_

"_We can not risk to incite a war. It would bring innocent lives on our conscious." _The elder explained, before refocusing on the situation around the group.

"No, Iris, give him the real amulet."

Hesitating for a moment, Zeus reached up to remove his hood, revealing a unremarkable, middle-aged face with short black hair and bright blue eyes."My lord, I can assure you that we have not been sent here. I am Arthur, of the small island of Avalon, and this is my family. The amulet of your ancestors will one day save countless lives. I can only appeal to your generosity and wisdom. The last thing we intend is to start a war."

Count William nodded to one of his guards, who immediately snatched both the original and the duplicate amulet from their captures, handing it to his superior for inspection. "Extraordinary. Where did you get the replicate?"

"We know some jewellers who are the best at what they do," Zeus mislead carefully. "Please, nobody will know the difference if we exchanged them."

The Count eyed the two pieces once more, inspecting each one carefully. "You said it will save lives?" After a moments pause, he shook his head. "I can not believe a stone and some gold can change that much. Guards, get them to the dungeons. It is late and not urgent. I will deal with this tomorrow."

The four immortals stiffened for a moment, raising their weapons into a perfect guard position once more. "Let's get out of here."

Before the guards had a chance to react to Zeus' shout, steel crashed on steel as the immortals cleared themselves some space around them. Herakles and Charon, standing closer to the window, left the room moments later, jumping blindly into the darkness. Iris and Zeus, however, were far enough away from the exits to allow the guards to close ranks once more, and to react to the sudden assault.

After exchanging a few blows, Zeus left hand shot out closed around Iris' wrist, stopping her attack. "We can not get out – not without risking to kill somebody."

After another moment of hesitation, the elder dropped his sword, closely followed by his younger companion. Sizing the chance, a guard quickly stepped forward to pull the hood off the second black intruder.

The young Count watched intently as hood came off, barring a slender neck, followed by a regal chin, a short nose, curly blond hair and bright brown eyes. To the lonely young man, isolated by a life at court and a future of responsiblity, the simple smile she sent him made him the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

For a moment, the Count stopped, before he gave a curt nod to the head of his guard. The soldiers gladly and forcefully grabbed the intruders into their lord's chambers, leading them to the dungeons.

.

Over the next weeks, the Count of Normandy regularly visited his dungeons. Although Zeus had clearly established himself as the leader of the attack, and readily answered all questions he was asked, some truthfully, some not, their jailor spent significantly more time talking to Iris. The two immortals were happy to allow the bond, hoping to gain an advantage from his affections.

"I was surprised to find a woman fighting. Is it common in your lands?"

"My daughter is special, but there are several others who are female and able fighters." Zeus inserted himself into their conversation, causing the Count to shoot him an annoyed look, before it changed to a curious one. "Your daughter? You too look nothing alike."

"I lost my family years ago, but now formed new bonds that are deeper then blood." Zeus explained.

"I have many fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters." Iris expanded.

"So there is a Hera, and an Aphrodite as well? No, don't tell me, you actually are the true Greek gods, right? Shot any lightning, lately, Zeus?" The Count questioned sarcastically, causing Zeus to let out a chuckle.

"I know it sounds strange."

"So home, where is that?" The young warden interviewed.

"A small island we call Avalon. There are hardly enough of us to form a small settlement, so you probably never heard of us." Zeus explained.

William frowned. "So you are that small tribe of assassins and thieves?"

Iris shot him a dazzling smile. "Rest assured, we are simple people, who try to make comfortable lives and help our fellow humans."

"Oh, that's right. My stone here will one day save many lives." The Count could not resist mocking once more, momentarily forgetting he was not talking to Zeus.

"We could trade you for it." The male prisoner suggested hopefully.

William laughed for a moment. "Hay and gras, maybe a bit sea water? I don't think that's quite worth the same. Sorry."

"I thought we had already established that we are not poor." Iris frowned. "We got the duplicate made."

For a moment, the fresh ruler hesitated, inspecting the charm hanging from his neck. "Sorry, no. This amulet stayed in my family for generations, and I can not simply give it up. My ancestors would forever curse me.

I believe you, though. I even like you, so you will not be executed. You sealed your fate when you committed crimes against a vassal of the crown, though, so I can not let you go. I am sorry."

After a moment more of hesitation, William the First turned and purposefully strode out of the dungeon.

"Well, that went well." Iris commented shortly afterwards. "I don't think we are going to get any further, here."

"Not really, no." Zeus confirmed. "Should we get out of here, then?"

The guard outside their cell smirked. "You can not possibly hope to escape. This castle is impenetrable."

"We got in, we can get out." Iris smirked back. "I really don't fancy all that wall climbing, though, Zeus."

The elder's reply was mental. _"Herakles contacted me a few nights ago. He is standing by outside of town with the new phase-shift prototype. It should be stealthy enough to be invisible if we check the close proximity, so he can pick us up right outside."_

"_Yew-hew!" _Iris answered dryly_. "So what are we going to do about Mr. Smartass out there?"_

"_Did you never notice he always falls asleep a few hours after midnight?" _Her 'father' answered with a promising grin.

Indeed, five hours later, the guard's snores easily drowned out the sizzling of the melting steel as the two immortals burned through the locks of their cells. Minutes later, they hastened up the ramp to an invisible shuttle standing by to ferry them to Avalon.

"All set?" Herakles awaited them. "Or do we have to do anything else to do?"

"Nothing else." Iris confirmed. "We'll have to come up with a new plan, though."

Thanks to their Asgard-grade engines, the flight from France to Wales took mere minutes, after which the elder immortals sat down together to plan further.

"I still think we should simply steal the thing. Let's go in there in force. It's not like they could stop us." Ares proposed immediately once they finished their story. "We fly in cloaked, drop to the chambers, and disable the guards. I'm thinking gas."

"We can't." Zeus disagreed. "The count made it clear he would even go to war over the amulet. There has to be a peaceful way, though."

"It's not like he can touch us, or even knows exactly where you are from." Ares muttered.

Zeus shook his head. "He is prepared to do whatever he feels necessary, including attacking his neighbours until he finds the attacker."

"Well, what do you propose?" Hades questioned.

"I think it might be best if Iris and me go back and try to trade for it. It's our best chance. In the end, he even seemed to trust us a little bit."

"Unless you lost that trust when you escaped." Poseidon cautioned.

"It's a risk I am prepared to take." Zeus replied after a moment of thought. "The only other alternatives are giving up or risking an open war, neither of which is worth considering. Iris, any objections?"

When the young woman shook her head, the elder nodded in satisfaction. "The Count gives a public hearing to his subjects after service every Sunday. It is probably our best chance."

"To gain his trust, " Demeter suggested, "it might be beneficial to disclose your real identities to him."

Zeus appeared puzzled. "We did not exactly introduce myself, but he knows my name is Zeus, she is Iris, and that we hail from the island of Avalon."

"While Iris is a common enough name, nobody is called Zeus anymore. Once he makes the connection to Greek mythology, he will find Iris there as well, and assume our names to be codenames. Supply him with something more ordinary, and he will take the misdirection as a sign of trust and respect." Demeter explained.

"Great idea." Zeus smiled. "So what do we trade the amulet for? When we suggested it to him, he did not seem interested in the usual valuables like gold, gems and jewelry."

"Actually," Iris objected. "I got the impression he simply did not believe we had the means to adequately compensate him for his heirloom."

"We do have a few tons of gold sitting uselessly in one of the sublevels, that were refined as a byproduct of our deep sea mining. It's uncoined, but that should be easy enough to fix." Poseidon suggested. "Most of our gems are used up in various experiments concerning crystal computing, though."

"As a king, he will need weapons to equip his army. The swords we can forge here are superior to everything the Europeans can produce yet." Ares offered.

"Are we really going to supply a potentially dangerous sovereign with the means to massacre his people and wage war on his neighbours?" Hestia cautioned. "In that case, we might as well steal the thing to ignite the war."

"Maybe a single, well crafted blade then, worthy of the Count's position at court?" Herakles suggested. "I heard rumours he was dissatisfied with the prestige his current weapons gave him."

"We should be able to spare a few gems for that." Poseidon replied when Zeus glanced over to him. "Just don't go offering him piles full of them."

"All right then. Herakles, Hephaistos, Hestia, go make us the most beautiful sword ever crafted. Poseidon, can I put you in charge of the coining? See what you can come up with." Zeus finally decided. "Let's make this a quick one. Iris, if at all possible, the two of us will leave a month from now."

Iris nodded, before turning to the three smiths. "If you don't mind, I'd like to come along. Out of all of us, the Count probably spent most of his time with me, so I'm probably the most qualified to know what he likes."

Zeus nodded in agreement, before turning to the rest of the group. "Now, Hades, Moros, what can you tell me about the status of your experiments?"

Moros nodded to the other man, indicating for him to make the report, while leaning down to a small gadget and activating it. "We have made fair progress so far, confirming Moros' initial hypothesis concerning our nature and even matching the frequencies of our power output to that of that of the Ascended. Next, we plan to begin experimenting with that particular electromagnetic spectrum, but we fear the equipment we have running here on Avalon might interfere and the experiments we are planning to conduct might be volatile.

Instead, we have located a small cave within a moor in central Wales. It is just at the edge of the range of the modified ring transporters we pilfered from Chronos, so we plan to install one there and one here, once we seal off the single entrance. The cave is deep within a small island, and as far away from civilization as we can make it, so it should work well."

"What do you hope to achieve with that frequency?" Poseidon questioned once Hades had finished his report. "What is you theory on how it can help us?"

"Actually, we are still, " Hades begun, only to be interrupted by Moros.

"Eventually, I hope to use wave properties of electromagnetic radiation to severe the link between the ascended plains and ours, preventing them to access their powers."

"Similarly to two standing waves cancelling each other out? Would the effect not be terminated once the weapon is deactivated, destroyed or simply runs out of energy?" Poseidon questioned, intrigued.

Moros hesitated for a moment. "It is a very much simplified analogy, but an accurate one. The problem you describe is, of course, valid and I am still hoping to find a solution for that. Any suggestions are welcome."

Waiting for a few more moments until he was sure no more questions were coming, the Ancient leaned down once more, deactivating his device.

"So what is that?" Zeus questioned, eyeing the non-distinctive black box with the single, lightable button.

"A very simple version of the phase-shift device active in my lab. Hades suggested it when we discussed the problem of briefing you. Once the others feel my research has progressed far enough, we fear it may lead them to break their own rules, so we do not want them to know the extend of our progress." The descended explained.

Once more, Zeus eyed the small box, though this time more interested. "What is the range of that thing?"

"This one can take a mid-size room out of phase, the one in my lab is more powerful. Why?"

"And theoretically? Could we shift, let's say, the whole island? The welsh are starting to become more inquisitive of the nature of the mysterious island. I fear, someday someone will try to come here, despite the stories we cultivated. Additionally, someday one of us might be careless and reveal something about your experiments in conversation."

Moros' eyes lit up. "That is brilliant. Theoretically, the range is only limited by the energy the device can supply. The small one here does not have the pathways to channel these amounts of energy, but the one in my lab can, easily, and I should be able to build a second one. Then, one of the Asgard generators should be more then enough to power it up. All we need is an entrance point, sealed by some kind of physical button, and we are safe. Probably, I will implement something like in my lab, where one can use the interface to shift in and out of phase."

.

Five weeks later, two figures, dressed in dark, well tailored robes, their hoods drawn up to hide their faces, pulled hard to lift the small cart rolling behind them up the single step to the Count's audience chamber.

"You are late. The audience room is already closed." The guard barked upon spotting them.

"We are merchants, wishing to offer our high quality goods to the Count." the taller of the two informed the guard standing in their way.

The guard appeared to be sceptical. "If you wish to trade, go to the quatre master. He handles the palace's supplies," he gruffed dismissively.

"Perhaps you misunderstood, " the distinctively female voice of the second merchant sounded. "The goods we wish to trade are of the highest quality." Reaching under the blanket covering her cart, Iris pulled out a random good – this one happened to be a delicate cup made from pure gold, with a few silver inlays. "I doubt that the quatre master is authorized to trade in our price category. We are not from around here, so we unfortunately did not know about the time frame of this audience."

The guard hesitated for a moment, before inspecting them once more. "All right then, let me see your faces, and you can go in."

"We do not like to show our faces." Zeus objected "It is against the nature of our people."

The guard actually laughed. "You think I will let you get close to the Count without even seeing your faces?"

"_Morph!"_

Trusting his companion to have reacted already, Zeus slowly, as if reluctantly, pulled the hood from his head. In his haste, he had simply changed his normally light brown hair to dark black, and prolonged his nose slightly. Glancing over, he saw Iris standing similarly exposed, with light brown hair and amazingly shiny blue eyes. Neither changes were profound, but it was enough to make sure there was no connection between them and the dungon escapees. After one last glance, the guard moved to the side to allow them to pass into the large audience room as the two strangers pulled their hood back over their faces.

About a dozen people had come before the Count that day, intending to settle a dispute, beg for mercy for a convicted relative, or to request support for their families. Despite the relatively busy room, the loudest noise by far was the creaking of the wooden wheels as the two immortals pulled their cart into the room and got into line, happily accepting being last.

About two hours later, the pair had finally made it to the front of the room, standing in front of the Count, a pair of guards on either side of them.

"_In for all." _Zeus joked as they put their plan in motion.

Confidently, Iris lifted her head, allowing the hood to slide back to expose her once more unaltered face to the Count, but not to the guards on the side. "We bid you greetings, William, son of Rollo the Northman. We have come far to offer you our goods in trade. Perhaps a more private setting would be possible and appropriate?" She proposed, glancing to the guards on either side of the room.

Zeus enjoyed himself immensely as he watched the face of the young Count. For a moment, his eyes had widened in shock, before he had caught himself and schooled his face into a look of polite interest – one undoubtably cultivated through long years living at court. Fortunately, Zeus noted, there was not a hint of anger on the young man's face.

"Guards! You may leave us." Zeus' eyebrows rose in astonishment, even as the men filled out through various side entrances. While he had expected the Count to hear them out, trusting them enough to actually dismiss his protection was unexpected, he had disagreed with his female companion when she proposed having the guards dismissed, stating that it would probably undermine the Count's trust further.

"I must admit," the sovereign began once the last guard had left the room, although Zeus was sure they would be listening in, "I had not expected to see you again. You do own me three very good and sturdy locks, though, and I am curious as to how you managed to destroy them so completely. The guards who discovered the damage spoke of magic and sorcery."

Unhesitantly, Iris pulled her hood back, moments later followed by a more careful Zeus. "It is magic only in so far as a mill would be magic to our distant ancestors. We simply understand our environment fairly well, and know how to use it. We will, of course, offer you compensation for your damage" The elder explained carefully.

"I am sure you did not know I had tasked the captain of my guard to install that particular guard, to enable him to free you not even three hours after you left my castle."

Zeus chuckled, while Iris blushed slightly. "Ups."

The Count suddenly began laughing loudly, before calming himself to begin the conversation anew. "So, Iris, Zeus, why have you really come back?"

"I do not think those obviously false names are necessary any longer. I am Arthur, and this," the immortal began, only to be interrupted.

"I am Sprota." Iris shot the Count a dazzling smile, before sobering up slightly. "We came for the same reason we came last time, only that this time, we hope to trade, as friends should do."

The Count eyed the cart the two travellers had brought with them critically. "I told you I could not simply trade for the amulet. What made you think I changed my mind?"

Arthur reached down to pull back the cover of the cart. "Last time we spoke, we had the impression you did not fully believe us when we told you we were willing to adequately compensate you."

The Count stepped down from his throne and reached down to pick up the same gold cup the guard had carried earlier, before hesitating. Seeing Arthur motioning for him to continue, he inspected the object. "This is beautiful craftmanship, never mind the fact that it seems to be real gold. Still, not even this cup would be worth enough to risk the irk of my ancestors."

"I'm afraid you misunderstood." Sprota objected. "We did not offer one of the items, we are offering the whole cart in exchange for the pendulum. The whole cart, including this."

With a sure grip, the only woman of the group pulled a sheath from the back of the car, her hands skillfully untying the leather straps holding the sword inside. With a flourished move, she freed the majestic blade, positioning it horizontally to the ground and on the flat of her hands, completely non-threatening.

"A beautiful weapon, crafted by our best smiths over the last months. It is the probably the most beautiful and majestic sword they ever made – and one fit for a Count like yourself."

Stepping forward, William picked up the decorated blade, inspecting the sharpness of the edge and the gold and silver inlays on the hilt, finally setting his eyes on the two lions engraved on the blade and the roaring lion head as a hilt, his family's coat of arms. "Yes." Sprota stated quietly. "The blade was crafted specifically for you."

"That is a beautiful blade," he finally commented, before peering at the other items in the cart once again. "All this, simply for my family's amulet? I can not help but think that it is worth more then I thought so far – and more then what you have told me."

"It is not its material value we are interested in." Sprota explained patiently. "It can"

"save lives. Yes, I know." The Count broke in. "But how can this small amulet, an odd stone and a bit of gold, save lives?"

"To be honest," Arthur began, "I am not sure, myself. A wizard named Merlin has come to our island, claiming to know our future." The Count huffed, causing Arthur to smile.

"Yes, we were sceptical at first, as well. So far, though, all that he has told us has come true, and he has done us great service and asked for nothing more then some food and a bed we would have given him anyways.

His newest prophecy, however, does not speak of a heavy rain, or a group of refugees needing help, but of beasts, coming from the skies and raining the fires destruction up on the lands – yours, ours, and everybody elses."

"Flying beasts and fire; are you talking about the dragons mentioned in the stories of old?" the Count still seemed unconvinced, but at least he had stopped laughing, Arthur noted relieved.

"He never named them." Arthur lied after a moment of thought. "I admit, though, that there seem to be some similarities. The important point, however, is that there is nothing we can do to stop them. The only lead we have is the small stone around your neck, that Merlin thinks can be used to power a counterspell to stop them."

The Count took the chain of his neck and held the amulet in his hands, inspecting it closely, causing Arthur to hope for a moment that they had gotten through to him."

"A fairytale?" The Count finally asked. "Wizards, dragons, and frightening me with tales of destruction. Do you really think a simple fairytale will convince me to part with this stone."

Sprota opened her mouth to object, but the young sovereign cut her off. "The strange part is, part of me IS convinced. Part of me wants to give you the stone, for free, since the possible gain for me is the rescue of my own lands, as well, even knowing that then, I would be parting with a powerful magical artifact.

I can not, though. When I pass on and come to stand before the Lord, to be judged for my deeds, my ancestors will curse my name for all eternity for giving away a stone that has been in my family for more generations then I can count. I am sorry."

Arthur grimaced, knowing fully well that beginning to argue against the man's religious believes would get them nowhere. "What if we speak the truth, though. What will your ancestors tell you when you stand before them, watching as the beasts destroy your legacy."

"I hope they will understand that I made the best decision with the information I had available for me." William spoke after a moment of consideration. "If not, it will be that knowledge that will bring me relieve in the eternal fires of hell."

"Listen to your heart, Count." Sprota begged. "Listen to what it tells you, not what your mind thinks."

William placed the sword still in his hands back in its sheath, before placing it on top of the small pile of jewels and gold.

"Believe me, I would, but I can not. I am sorry, but if the amulet leaves my family, I will bring my line eternal shame."

Arthur sighed, but finally nodded in acceptance. "I understand. Thank you for your time, my Lord. I know it is valuable."

"Not at all, Arthur. I wish I could help you. If there is anything else I can do for you, do not hesitate to return."

The elder forced a small, polite smile on his face as he nodded, before turning to go, grabbing his cart as he went. At the door, he finally turned back, only to find his companion still standing before the throne. From the angle he had, the immortal could just make out the woman's face, scrunched up in though.

"What if the amulet does not leave your family." her voice finally sounded, suddenly leaving the large hall perfectly silent. For a few heartbeats, no sound could be heard, before Arthur's sharp intake of breath signalled his understanding of her proposal.

"_You do not have to do this. We will find another way."_

"My hand in marriage, in exchange for the chance for Merlin to study the stone, and use it for as long as he needs it. The stone as your payment of the bride price to your new family-in-law." Numbly, Arthur nodded that Sprota's voice had not once wavered during her proposal.

Slowly, the elder turned his attention to the Count, to see his reaction to the young woman's idea. Relieved, the immortal noted that the young sovereign was at least as surprised as he was, starring at Sprota open mouthed and apparently not even daring to breath.

For several, endless moments, nobody spoke a word, until William finally closed his eyes, visibly centring himself. "A fair proposal, for sure. More then fair, in fact. Unfortunately, neither my people nor the other noblemen would accept me marrying a commoner, and as a vasal to the King of France, he himself has to validate every marriage contract I sign. Were you of noble blood, I would accept in a heartbeat. I am sorry."

Sprota's shoulders sagged down, whether from relieve or distress, Arthur did not know. "I understand, my Lord. Forgive me, I should not have proposed the union. It was not appropriate."

"Do not be." Once more, William I. had stepped down from his throne, though this time deliberately to get closer to the lone woman. "I am glad you were here, and I wish I could accept. Your hand would be my highest honour, Sprota of Avalon. Fare well, now, though, and find yourself a good man who can honour you as I would have."

Abruptly, Sprota turned and strode to the door, passing through before Arthur had a chance to stop her. From the corner of his eyes, the elder thought he had seen a small tear sitting in the corner of her eyes.

'I guess girls will be girls, even if they are thousands of years old.' Chuckling slightly at his thought, the immortal once more bowed low. "My Lord, once more, I thank you for your time and your hospitality."

"It has been a pleasure, Arthur. Perhaps, someday, we will meet again. At least this time, you did not destroy my doors." The Count laughed, although Arthur could tell his good mood was suddenly forced.

The former regent of Shank'anon rightened himself before mustering the other man once more. "I am sorry, I almost forgot."

Reaching into his cart, he once more pulled out the sheath before approaching the young ruler once more. "In compensation for your locks, and to remember her. She spent a long time making this perfect for you."

Hesitantly, the Count reached for the weapon. "She will make a good wife for somebody, someday." Jerking his hands back, he looked back up at Arthur. "I really can't. It's too much."

Arthur laughed. "It is quite a big sword, but I assure you, young friend, you will grow into it."

The Count grinned as well.

"You know that's not what I meant. This sword is worth so much more then three locks."

"They were good locks, though." Arthur argued. "After all, otherwise, you would not have used them in your dungeon." Seeing the Count still unconvinced, he nodded. "Take it as a gift, then. As a thank you for your hospitality and your time, and in hopes of future good relations."

Hesitantly, William reached forward once more, his fingers finally closing around the blade. "Thank you, friend. Should I not know where it is you hail from, now?"

Arthur smiled. "Avalon is a small island past England. It is really not that much, or worthy the attention of a nobleman such as yourself. The climate can be harsh, and life is rough."

"It produces exceptional people, though." The Count countered.

Arthur nodded slightly. "That it does."

"Would you." The count began, only to stop immediately. "I mean, could you. Do you think."

"I think she knows, friend, and she feels the same. Otherwise, she would not have proposed the union." Arthur replied, his eyes soft in understanding. 'Men. Give them a girl, and they will always be the same.'

"I was surprised when she did. Woman here are not usually so...forward." William stated.

"That is Avalon for you. We are much too small and life a much too hard life to be able to afford to smile politely and wait for the others to do things."

"It does sound like an interesting place. Maybe, someday, I might get the chance to visit."

"Maybe someday." Arthur agreed. "Until then, though, farewell, William Longsword."

The Count stepped back from his visitor. "Longsword, I like that. Farewell, Arthur, my friend."


	18. 18 Kingdoms

**Chapter 18: Kingdoms**

By the time Arthur had finished his tale, every one of the assembled elders starred at Sprota, not believing what she had done.

"You..Why would you...How could you even?" Charon was the first to speak up, his voice stuttering as he tried to make sense of what he had heard, causing the slightly younger woman to take his hand. "I did what I had to. We need that stone, and he is a good man. I felt it was the best chance we had."

Charon met her gaze for a moment, before nodding once, his eyes downcast once more, while Persephone worriedly mustered her son. Although he seemed to have accepted his partner's choice, she could easily spot his disappointment and even a bit of bitterness in his eyes.

Arthur meanwhile turned to face Moros, who was smiling amusedly. "The great wizard Merlin?"

"You try coming up with an explanation why we would offer a cart full of gold for a small stone on the spot. I thought I did good." The elder grinned, causing Sprota to nod.

"William bought it, at least. Not at first, of course, but eventually, he accepted that, at least, we honestly believed it was true."

"Seriously, though." Arthur began finally. "We can't steal that thing, not anymore. He has done us a great service by even listening to us and taking us seriously. I don't want to betray that trust – it's not what we stand for. What alternatives do we have? Where and how can we find a stone such as this."

Moros frowned. "This is not your average quartz you can simply mine in every other mountain. It's not even a rare diamond, which you find every once in a while. This stone is the only one like that ever found on this planet. Deep in the crust, deeper then I would recommend digging unless you want to cause some major earthquakes, there are maybe a handful more of them. The chances of finding one are astronomically small, and even then, without a true Ascended, I would not know how to identify it."

"So what now?" Demeter questioned. "You ascend once more, and try again on the next planet? This project has to be completed, whether with us or not does not matter."

Moros simply shook his head, though, until he saw the confused looks of the other occupants of the table. "The number of planets where a stone such as this one has been found is small. Additionally, I would need to build all my tools from scratch, and I don't have that time. Most importantly, though, I doubt the others would let me do that. Once I ascend again, I am back under their complete jurisdiction. For me to be allowed to simply up and leave again, knowing what I am about to do, is unlikely, at best."

"So can we continue without the stone?" Poseidon finally asked, causing the Ancient to once more shake his head. "I got about as far as I ever hoped to get with my research based on your nature. We learnt more then I had hoped, but there are still a few major obstacles to overcome before we can begin to try and come up with an actual way to use our findings."

"Then what?" Sprota questioned, displeasure creeping into her voice. "As Arthur said, I would not feel comfortable stealing it from the Count, not to mention that he would immediately know it was us who took it. William might make a powerful alley, unless we turn him away from us with a foolish act like this."

"Also, we already tried stealing it. Unless we massacre half the palace, including the Count, I don't see us succeeding on the second try." Charon cautioned.

"I thought we had him when Sprota proposed." Arthur's shoulder's sagged. "A brilliant idea, but not one I would ever want to force upon you. The unity of two people is a special thing, not something I would ever use as a bargaining chip."

"It would not have been like that," the woman in question disagreed. "William is a good man, and would treat me right. Of course, we would not have a future together, but at the same time, it is only a small part of my life we are talking about here. If I had noble blood, I would be going back right now and securing us the stone."

"And what if we gave you the linage in question?" Moros questioned, causing the rest of the table to focus solely on him.

"Even if we claimed to descend from some distant nobleman, a lie such as this one would never stand up to the close scrutiny of the king's enquiry." Arthur disagreed immediately.

Hades nodded his head, agreeing with his friend. "We have done so in the past, of course, to infiltrate the various courts of Europe, but there is no way we could succeed with something that bold."

Moros, however, simply shook his head. "You misunderstood, I'm afraid. I don't intend to lie, at least not much. What if we actually held the domains to claim a noble linage. What does it take to make a Count, or even a Duke.

"A duke is a ruler over a large piece of land, and claims a close kinship to the current king, which is nothing we can fake. The Count is easier, but still difficult. Besides owning significant portions of land, a king has to acknowledge you as his vassal, which I can't see happening on a whim."

"Then what if we formed a new kingdom?" the Ancient continued, unfazed.

"A kingdom?" Arthur questioned, amused. "Sure, the kingdom of Avalon, with not even fifty citizens and a small island to its name."

"Of course, we would have to extend our sphere of influence. It should not be too hard to find a few suitable castles and towns."

"You want us to wage war and conquer some innocent town, simply so we can gain this stone?" Hades questioned, horrified.

Seeing that their alien alley still intended to go ahead with the plan, Zeus leaned forward. "The main point is, that not one of us may become a leader amongst men. That's one of the key points in our treaty with the Goa'uld."

Moros nodded. "Of course, the treaty binds you. Your very nature prevents you from breaking it."

"What do you mean by that?" Charon questioned, confused. "Of course we could break the treaty. The others simply feel we are not yet ready to face the Goa'uld."

"And you are not. Not in a large scale war, anyways. Most importantly, though, due to the connection your soul maintains with the outside, if you make an honest promise, you will be bound to it much more then the average human would." Moros explained.

"Are you implying we can not lie? We have done so, often. How else would we infiltrate anything?" Hades mistrusted the other man's theory.

"Oh, you can lie, of course." Moros agreed immediately. "What I am trying to say is, that breaking a promise or lying is much harder for you then it is for others. Your very nature, that of being inherently good, disagrees with lying. Whenever possible, you try to avoid doing so. Most of the time, I'm guessing you won't eve realize what you are doing, while an outsider might wonder why you don't just go ahead and do it."

While most of the table opened his mouth to protest, Hades appeared pensive. "When is it that we normally terminate an operation? The moment we would be forced to swear an oath of fertility. We never thought about it, but that's the way we always operate. This really is the only explanation I could think of. So you want us to break the treaty anyways, and hope they don't find out." The immortal leaned back in his chair. "I don't like it."

The descended being simply smiled at the pouting man. "I would not expect you to. In fact, breaking the treaty will probably make you fairly uncomfortable and, as I said, you and humanity are not ready, so why take the risk. After all, there is a much more elegant solution. I will be the one in charge. You will simply follow my orders by establishing a kingdom while I will continue my research."

Demeter frowned. "That's a rather loose interpretation of the treaty, don't you think? In fact, I would call it too lose."

"And yet," Arthur disagreed, "I can't help but feel significantly more comfortable with Moros' little trick. Most importantly, however, it is the best shot we have, and, as an added bonus, it would allow us to more actively help a lot of people, and to call on a lot more resources in our quest."

"So what do we need to create a new kingdom?" Hades questioned after nodding in agreement and waiting for any more objections.

"First of all," his son answered, "a king, obviously."

While all eyes immediately settled on Arthur, the man in question shook his head. "Moros clearly stated that he was the one in charge here. That was the whole basis of our little plan."

"I will be busy, though." the Alteran disagreed. "Besides, I only have to be technically in command. It does not matter who the people perceive as being in command, as long as I am the one pointing you where to go. In this case, that means do everything you deem necessary to get us that stone."

"That means," Hades chuckled, gleefully looking at his long time friend.

"Any volunteers?" Arthur asked, desperately. "Come on, people. The eternal glory of being a king. Lording over thousands of people and uncountable treasures. Most people dream of this."

"You were the one William met, and the one he perceived to be the leader. To him, it would most likely be logical for you to be the one to become king." Sprota objected, causing Arthur to groan and the rest to chuckle.

"Oh, all right. I guess King Arthur has a certain ring to it. You are aware that all of you will be my nobleman, then, at least?" This time, Arthur grinned gleefully, enjoying the wince of his friends. "What else will we need?"

"Lands, your highness. And subjects for his royale majesty." Hades stated solemnly, although Arthur easily saw how much he enjoyed the situation.

One by one, Arthur peered at his companions. "I'm still a bit out of the loop from my extended holiday. Where do you propose we settle?"

"We should not be moving too far away," Sprota cautioned meanwhile. "If the king never even heard of the lands Arthur is king of, he will not agree to the union, either."

"That means Europe, northern Africa, and maybe western Asia." Arthur checked with the young woman for confirmation, causing her to nod.

"At the very most." Herakles agreed. "For the best chances of success, we should be here in Western Europe. France is out of the question, obviously, since the king would not agree to an union with his enemies."

"What about Germany?" Demeter proposed. "They are not really unified, and it should be possible to take over one of the smaller kingdoms."

"It would probably cause the other sovereigns to band against us, inciting a major war." Hades cautioned immediately. "Let's keep it as a back-up plan, for now."

"An attack on Italy and thereby the eternal city would probably not earn us any favours, either. Scandinavia?" Poseidon put in.

"Forests, few subjects, harsh conditions. It is possible, but not really something that would earn us respect with a king like Rudolph the First." Sprota disagreed. "Spain?"

"Demolishing a western European monarchy would undoubtably lead to us being respected, but even more importantly, feared and possibly hated." Zeus spoke up, causing his friends to nod.

"So we need a large, western European land, that does not have a strong ruler we'd have to topple. There is no land like that. Europe is completely divided between the different kings since the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire 800AD." Hades commented pessimistically. "Good luck finding something."

"Actually, what about our neighbours? What about Britain?" Hestia proposed. "I have just returned from a mission there. The Welsh are divided between the various tribes, and the English king, Athelstan, is engaged with the Vikings in the north, causing his influence in the south to crumble. Already, several lords have declared independence from the crown and begun prying on their neighbours."

Arthur's eyes lit up. "I'd have few problems conquering a bunch of robbers and slavers. Additionally, the king might actually be thankful if we are to bring peace to his south."

"Even more so if we sent a few warriors north to support his struggle. After all, a few of us should be able to make a difference, and we would be protecting our own country, as well." Poseidon added.

"So we have king and his lands." Moros summed up. "How do we go about implementing the plan?"

"Actually, first, we'll need an insert." Hades stalled the Alteran's eagerness.

The other man seemed confused. "An insert? What's that?"

"For every infiltration, you need a cover story – preferably, one that nobody can prove wrong." Herakles explained. "In this case, though, since we will eventually have to infiltrate a well set up organization, one based on blood and linage, we will need a background that would grant us access to the courts of Europe - an insert into their ranks."

"Why is that?" Moros still seemed confused. "Once you have control over enough land, they will accept you."

"Unfortunately, it is not that easy." Athene disagreed. "Royals all over the world lay their claim to their royal, god given linage. To allow somebody else in their midst, or even close to them, would completely negate their claim."

"So what background can we use?" Arthur brought the conversation back on track.

"Some lost distant cousin to the king?" Hestia brainstormed, causing a round of ideas to be shouted out.

"Nobleman from far away?"

"Ancestor of a former king?"

"Stop!" The respect the group had for each other meant that, on Athene's command, the whole table quieted at once. "Hestia, did you not say there was a second line of kings in Britain?"

"The Pendragons, of course. I should have thought of that." Seeing Arthur's and Moros' confusion, Hestia elaborated. "Up until about forty years ago, a second line of kings existed in Britain, ruling a large stretch of land in the south. Uther Pendragon died of old age, though, childless, and his line died out."

"Seriously, a line of kings that recently disappeared, who used to rule the very area we are currently planning on settling in." Arthur exclaimed joyously, "Why did it take you so long to come up with that one?"

"Well, excuse us, your highness. We have never even attempted an insert of that size. It is bold, to put it mildly." Hades mocked, causing his friend to roll his eyes.

"So we've got lands and a background." Arthur summarized, "What else?"

"All of you will need new names, obviously. Arthur and me have taken ours, already, and Moros will become the powerful and wise wizard Merlin, but the rest of you will have some thinking to do." Sprot added.

"Meanwhile," Hades continued, "I want all our available assets in Britain. Somebody will have to get close to Athelstan, so we can predict his reaction to all this, and the rest will scout the south for castles that fit our profile. We need something fairly rich that we can conquer with minimal collateral damage."

"Also," Arthur decided, "we will only attack those rulers who misuse their power, either by attacking their neighbours or by exploiting their people. A good ruler shall have nothing to fear from...What are we calling the kingdom?"

"Avalon, obviously." Hestia proposed immediately, causing a round of nods.

"Avalon it is, then." the new king agreed. "Of course, though, no one may ever come to Avalon itself."

"The pure shock of suddenly seeing all the 'magic' around here would most likely overwhelm them." Hades amended. "We will need some sort of permanent home on the mainland, though. Somewhere where the people will know to find us."

"I agree, but I don't think we have to settle on something, now. Let's wait until we have control over a few towns, and pick the best one, then." Athene suggested.

.

'At least,' Samuel mused, 'I don't have to do stable duty.' The young lad was bored, sitting on top of the battlements of the mighty walls of Ilchester castle, watching out over the road. For others, the height at which Samuel, who had just barely reached the age of manhood, was sitting might have seemed dangerously high. After spending days watching over the road, with nothing happening but a few old farmers coming to ask the Earl for help or to beg for respite in their dues, the young man had grown accustomed to the height, and eventually began to experiment, joyfully spending his time climbing over the mighty stone blocks, the wind blowing in his face.

Although The Right Honourable Earl of Somerset had made himself many enemies, especially as of late when he had broken from the king, denied him his service and begun to raid the unprotected villages of his neighbours, the castle in the centre of the earl's land was too well protected to attack with anything less then a mid-sized army and a long siege. As such, Samuel's formal task was to warn the gate guard if any threat approached, so that they may close the gate and raise the drawbridge. Informally, however, he was stationed over the castle's only access root to inform the steward whenever somebody approached, so that he may either inform the Earl himself or be in place to send them away immediately.

Normally, apart from the afore mentioned commoners, nothing ever happened that would require Samuel's attention. As such, the young man almost slipped and fell of his stone seat when he saw the dust cloud announcing the approaching riders. Moments later, the lad could make out three figures, riding fast on what appeared to be war horses of the most noble kind. What held the lookout's attention, though, was not their long, dark tunics, or the obvious wealth of the horses' tacks, but the banner held by the middle rider. While Samuel did not know the symbol, he was well aware that only a king and his noble messengers may ride under a royal flag.

"Riders! Riders approaching! They carry a royal banner." Relieved, the young man noted that he was not the only one who appeared exited by the news. The moment his shout reached the gate, the guards stared to nervously fidget on their posts, and several of the townfolks in the area quit whatever they were doing and hurridly ran for the gate to get a look at the newcomers.

The Earl's stewart, a grumpy old man who always seemed to look down on Samuel, arrived just in time. Normally, farmers, often pulling heavy carts behind them on foot, needed about an hour from when they were spotted until they reached the gate. The riders, thanks to their majestic steeds, crossed the same distance in a tenths of the time.

Now, up close, the lad took the time to muster the three arrivals more closely. Under their long, dark tunics, he could see a chain mail blinking in the high noon sun. A shield and a sword were strapped to the back of each of the three men, and the two companions additionally carried bows, strapped to the side of their rides. Although most of the sword was hidden by the sheath, Samuel could make out just enough to marvel at the obvious quality of the weapons. Often, he had aided various knights as they prepared for a tournament in the earl's honour, or as they returned from their raids, but never before had he seen weapons as well crafted and beautifully decorated. What made the three knights even more mysterious, however, were their helmets, covering their faces completely.

"Halt!" From his vantage point high above, Samuel could see the muscles in the first rider's arm flex as he pulled his horse to a stop on the guards shouted command, the powerful animal wheezing as it complied. "Who goes there, and what is your business, stranger?"

Amused, the lad observed as the steward cowered behind the guards, who were still blocking the path using their halberds, as if afraid to face the well armoured strangers directly. In a way, he enjoyed the effect the three riders had on the man, as Samuel remembered all the harassment he had to endure by the powerful man's hand and command.

Unfortunately, still being on the top of his wall, the young observer could not hear what was being said as the strangers were now close enough for the group to talk normally. From the way the leading rider gestured agitatedly, however, and the way the steward's shoulders finally slumped as he turned and led the man inside, followed by a large flock of bystanders, Samuel guessed they had something important to say.

With a start, the young climber realized that, from now on, contrary to the mass of townsfolk streaming into the castle, he would not be able to observe the proceedings any further, as he was not allowed to leave his post. Peering over the wall, his eyes finally fell onto the top window into the throne room, which allowed some light to fall in, but more importantly, which was still high enough that he had a fairly good look over the road. With the dexterity that came from long hours spent climbing high over the town, Samuel quickly made his way over, before pulling himself up to sit on the windowsill.

.

"Halt! Who goes there, and what is your business, stranger?"

Hades bit back an amused smile as he saw the two guards blocking his way, well aware that the two could never stop him and his companions. When he saw the way they kept glancing back at a figure, that carefully stayed behind them and out of his reach, obviously their leader, he could not help but grin slightly, suddenly thankful for the helmet still covering his face, before pulling the visor up to show his face, promoting his companions to do the same.

"I am Sir Lancelot du Lac. Me and my companions, Sir Lionel and Sir Mordred, seek an audience with The Right Honourable Earl of Somerset in the name of my king, his royal majesty, Arthur, King of Avalon and son of Uther Pendragon."

The man in front of him scoffed. "The Pendragon line has died with Uther when I was just a young lad. Their kingdom has long since fallen apart. You can not believe I would allow you to see the Earl, even if what you say was true."

Pulling his arm back, Lancelot thrust the lance holding the banner into the ground at the steward's feet. "I am carrying the royal banner. The king, who's father established this shire, sends me, his champion, to deliver a message to your Lord. You will let me through."

The steward mustered the guidon in the ground before him, the flag blowing slightly in the wind, before mustering the weapons strapped to the riders back. Finally, he seemed to decide that the two guards would not be able to hold the gate, and nodded for them to let the riders through.

Turning, he glanced back over his shoulder at the riders, and Hades enjoyed the small spark of fear in the pompous man's eyes, before he spoke up. "Come along, then. I will escort you to the audience chamber."

Riding by the guards, Lancelot leaned down to pull his guidon from the ground before dismounting at the food of the stairs, handing the reigns of his horse to his son, who dismounted as well to tie the animals up.

Nodding back to his companions, the king's champion made his way inside the building, taking in the short corridor with the two small doors on either side, before coming to rest before the mighty throne.

"Stay here. I will fetch the Earl." Incline his head in agreement, Lancelot assumed a comfortable stance, well aware that he might be waiting a while but not willing to show weakness by actually sitting down. Instead, he curiously watched as the steward left with hurried steps and a mass of curious bystanders and guards streamed into the room from behind.

In the end, it took the Earl almost half an hour before he stepped into the hall. In the meantime, Lancelot had not moved an inch, although his eyes had darted around, inspecting his surroundings and noting the position of the various guards.

"_Twenty five soldiers in the room. Right now, most of them are busy with the townsfolk. They cleared a large corridor in extension of the door, so you should not have a problem coming in."_

Moments later, his son's, now called Mordred, voice echoed through his head. _"Understood, dad. The horses are secured, and we are both ready."_

When the Earl, a still relatively young but overly fat man, had finally settled into his throne and stopped breathing heavily, Lancelot bowed slightly. "My Lord, thank you for taking the time to see me today. I am aware your schedule is probably busy."

The Earl coughed heavily, before waving at his visitor. "You are right, I am busy. Especially, I am too busy to listen to some charlatan send by a charlatan king. Say your message and be gone."

Lancelot grimaced, but refrained from commenting. "My King Arthur sent me to you. He has inspected the state of his father's kingdom and has found it lacking. Several indications have pointed to your shire as being one of those responsible for the chaos, so the king has sent me to you, to observe you and to report to him. As such, I will be escorting you until he arrives to pass judgement."

The Earl shot to his feet with a speed Lancelot had thought impossible, his mouth open in a silent scream.

"_Be ready. I have feeling things are going to go downhill, soon."_

"You. You. You." The Earl clearly grasped for words as glared at Lancelot. "I will not have some vagabond youth, who claims to be king, dictating the way I run my lands. Remove yourself from my lands, and tell your king to go to hell."

Lancelot took two steps forward until he was almost touching the Earl's round belly, deliberately invading the other man's personal space and causing his guards to inch closer. "His Royal Highness, King Arthur, despite all indications otherwise, has decided to grant you one more chance. If you refuse, I must ask you to step down. I will then assume your place until my lord has a chance to appoint a new Earl in your place."

The Earl stepped back, his colouring violently red-purple, and spit flying from his mouth as he raged. "You dare! Guards! Take that man away. Lock him into the deepest dungeon. I never want to see him again."

The two guards on either side of the throne shot forward, grabbing for Lancelot's arms, while the guards behind him advanced as well.

"_A little help would be appreciated, now, guys."_

Lancelot reacted faster, though. Before the two soldiers reached him, he had spun back, his hand reaching behind his back to free his sword and shield. Then, using the spin, he knocked the butt of his sword into the temple of the first guard, causing the man to crumble to the ground.

To the man's credit, the second guard reacted quickly, drawing his sword as well as he faced the suddenly armed opponent. Thrusting his shield forward, Lancelot shoved the man backwards, keeping him off balance, before knocking him out as well.

"Dad. Arrow, high left." Upon hearing his son's voice, Lancelot reacted by instinct, raising his shield and ducking down. Moments later, a dull thud indicated the impact of the projectile in his shield, and two sirring sounds the release of Sir Mordred's and Sir Lionel's own strings.

Glancing back, Lancelot spotted his two companions, the former Charon and Hephaistos, standing in the doorway, their bows in hand as they reloaded and aimed at the Earl's remaining bowmen on the gallery.

Spotting more guards approaching from the corridor, the leader of the trio shouted a warning. "Careful, behind you." Then, the immortal loosened a battle cry as he engaged his enemies, drawing the remaining guards in the room away from his two companions.

Calmly, Lionel released his second arrow, before dropping his bow and freeing his sword, meeting the new group of guards head on. Meanwhile, Mordred took his time, nicking another shot to completely clear the gallery of enemies before he drew his own sword, as well.

.

From his vantage point high above the room, Samuel watched as the situation in the room worsened progressively. As all the bystanders in the room, he had listened breathlessly as the stranger made his demands, well aware that the Earl would never agree with them. When the Earl gave the command to imprison the three visitors, the young lad had expected the spectacle to be over.

Instead, he had watched as the man easily dispatched the Earl's two guards, before skillfully defending himself from an arrow. Meanwhile, his two companions had entered the hall as well, using their bows to disable the Earl's bowman. On a professional level, Samuel marvelled the skill the three warriors showed, but, as long as their were fighting in his town, against his friends, he could not bring himself to enjoy the spectacle.

The moment the body of the last bowmen hit the ground, the crowd suddenly seemed to comprehend what was happening, and began to panic. In their desperate attempt to flee, the numerous citizens began to push their peers towards the only exit, and thereby towards the main fight.

"Rendezvous!" Their leader's shout caused the other two man to fall back from their own fights, until they were standing back to back in the centre of the room. Despite their apparent retreat, Samuel did not think they were actually expecting to loose. Instead, their move appeared calculated, to draw the fight away from the door, allowing the civilians to flee undisturbed before any more were injured, and allowing the three warriors to more easily cope with the large number of defenders.

Within the minute, the hall had cleared of all non-combatans, and three quatres of the soldiers were dead or unconscious. Samuel knew that, unless something changed radically, they were going to loose this battle. Scooting forward, the young man peered over the edge of his window, eyeing the gallery running three meters below. For an experienced climber like him, the drop should not be much of a problem.

Carefully, as to not alert the three hostiles to his plan, the young man crept into the room, before hanging down from the window still by his hands, his arms stretched to the maximum as he tried to gain an extra inch. In the end, though, he simply dropped the second half of the distance, his knees bending to minimize the sound of his impact on the gallery.

From one of the half a dozen fallen archers, the young man liberated a bow. The dead would probably not mind if he used it to finish their task. Now armed, Samuel crept to the ceiling, before risking a look down into the fray. Only one fifth of the originally fifty guards stationed in the keep, half of which had rushed in from their ready room once the battle had begun, were still standing. Seven were cautiously circling the strangers, now apparently wary of the skilled warriors, while the last three were guarding the Earl, who was only now retreating from the room.

"Lancelot! The Earl!" Apparently, one of the strangers had noticed as well, since immediately after his shout, the leader of the group left his companions, breaking through the blockade the defenders had set up with a shove of his shield and a flick of his sword, leaving one of the soldier in his way down and the other off balance.

Samuel wasted no time, nicking one of his newly acquired arrows, and taking aim at the moving stranger. Although he was only a lad, and a commoner at that, Samuel dreamt of one day becoming a knight for the Earl, and had worked hard to hone his skills with all kinds of weaponry. Still, knowing that the powerful longbow in his hand would have more then enough strength to punch through a chainmail, he aimed for the leader's torso, the largest target, peripherally noticing that two more of his comrades had already fallen.

The one named Lancelot did not have enough time to react. Even with the superior reflexes the three men had shown before, the distance between the archer and his target was too small. Moments after the quiet zing of the released string, a dull thud signalled the impact of the projectile.

The man tumbled for a moment as the shot knocked into his side, before, much to Samuel's shock, rightening himself and glancing up at him. Then, as if dismissing the lad as a real threat, he turned to continue after the Earl, easily gaining on the waddling, fat man.

Samuel nicked another arrow, fully intending to prove the strange daemon that threatened his Lord wrong, when the man reached the three last guards separating him from his goal. Not hesitating, the young lad aimed further down, now aware that the leader's chest was protected, before releasing the arrow. With a satsifying thud, the arrow buried itself into the man's hip, a small cry of pain announcing the success of the shot.

The man stumbled for a moment, giving his three opponents time to rush forward and deliver powerful blows against the shield the man was desperately holding between himself and them.

"Lionel Go! I can take them." Nicking a third arrow, Samuel watched as the other two invaders, now down to three enemies, glanced at their troubled companion and then up at him. For a moment, the archer could see the knights eyes flicker to his bow, laying forgotten on the ground at the other end of the room, before darting around once more. Moments later, the man started moving, although, to Samuel's surprise, he was not hurrying to aid his wounded comrade, but coming right at him.

Shocked, the archer observed as the leader finally caught himself once more, rightening himself and shoving his shield forward. Then, in the few moments he had gained, and behind the protection of the mobile metal wall, he reached down to simply pull the arrow out, hissing in pain as the projectile left a small, bleeding hole behind.

All of a sudden, before the men had a chance to react, he rushed forward once more, his kick taking the first solider completely by surprise and striking the man's unprotected temple. The second guard lost his sword in the same spin that delivered the butt of the stranger's sword into the third guard's abdomen.

The fight was over so quickly, Samuel, observing it, had barely missed a few steps of the stranger rushing towards his elevated position. Amusedly, Samuel fished for another arrow, intending to take his time to make sure his third shot, at least, would down his enemy. After all, the man beneath him had no way to get up on the gallery.

Then, to the young lad's shock, the man jumped, his momentum carrying him forward until his fists closed into the large border carrying the Earl's banner. Faster then Samuel would have thought possible, his assailant pulled himself upward, until, moments later, his hands reached the railing of the gallery, followed shortly after by his head.

Samuel stumbled backwards, his feet hooking into some edge of the rough cut stone floor, and finally sending him crashing to the ground.

In his shock, the archer released the arrow he had nicked, causing the projectile to suddenly surge forward. Although he had not fully stretched the string yet, the tension was enough to bury the dart deep into the strangers thight.

The man hissed in pain, but otherwise ignored the shaft piercing his flesh. Instead, he calmly lifted his sword, setting it's tip against Samuel's throat. "It is over. Enough people have died today. Do not sacrifice yourself for a man who does not deserve it."

Samuel angrily glared up at the man standing over him, not caring about the lethal weapon sitting inches from taking his life. "My loyalty belongs to the Earl, the ruler of these lands."

"But does he deserve it?" The man was unrelenting, causing the young lad fall silent, the glare still in place.

"Just today," the man began to lecture, "the Earl was perfectly willing to sacrifice fifty lives of his most loyal soldiers, of men who have served him all their lives, simply because he feared he might be loosing his power."

"The Earl ordered us to fight not because of the threat to him, but because of the threat to the town if you and your false king came to us to exploit us. He would not hesitate to surrender his power and his own life in this fight," the lad spat, causing the man to chuckle.

"Is that so? Really, come and stand, then."

The blade lowered, although the man still kept it cautiously by his side, finally allowing his prisoner to get back up. Standing, Samuel could once more take in the hall, and immediately saw the Earl, now captured and at sword point, as well, facing him. The three remaining soldiers had stilled, although they were still gripping their weapons tightly, ready to pounce.

"Order them to drop their weapons, or you will be the next death," the stranger's leader ordered. The Earl glared at him, eyeing his soldiers for a moment, before peering down the length of the blade and, as far as Samuel could tell, into his captor's face. His face scrunched up in distaste, but in the end, he nodded. "Drop them."

"Yes. I see. He is simply fighting for the best of the town." The stranger, Lionel, Samuel remembered, mocked. "Our King, Arthur, would have surrendered his own live in a heartbeat if it meant saving even one of us. In fact, he has done so multiple times, and has been captured by our enemies for it until we managed to free him."

Samuel knew his face mirrored his astonishment, fuelled by both the story the man had told and the fact that he had unhesitantly referred to his leader so causally. For the first time, he saw the warrior smile, and was surprised when the man sheathed his sword. "Come, lad, I like you. I'll have to get down to the others, first, but then, I would feel honoured if you were to show me your town."

For a moment, Samuel contemplated what would happen should he refuse the request, knowing fully well that it actually was a nicely phrased order. In the end, though, his curiosity won out and he also hoped to acquire information in the process that might help his family and friends. While nodding in agreement, however, his eyes landed on the man's leg, where his own arrow was still prodding from his tight and a steady stream of dark red blood coloured the surrounding cloth.

"Should you not be seeing a healer, first, though. That does look pretty bad. For that matter, how is it that your friend down there is still standing? His chain mail could not have blocked a longbow."

Lionel glanced down at his leg, before smiling at the young man. "You are right, I should take a look at that. No need for a healer, though. I've had much worse. For that matter, that very leg has had much worse, before. For a while, my limp was famous amongst the lands."

Ignoring the youth's confusion, the warrior sat down on the ground, his back to the wall and removed a small pack from his back, unwrapping it to reveal bandages and some herbs. Then, he leaned forward to inspect the shaft sticking out from his leg. "Not much to do. Best get it over with." Samuel heard him mumble, before the man grabbed the shaft and pulled.

Thankfully, the arrow head was plain, without any hooks. Even then, however, the seasoned warrior gave a short shout of pain as the hook came out, taking bits of muscle and flesh with it.

"You OK up there?" the leader shouted, hearing his partner's pained cry.

"All right, just an arrow I had to get rid of." the sitting knight hollered back immediately and, as Samuel noted, without a hint of pain in his voice. Already, he was busy chewing some herbs and applying them to his wound, before wrapping the bandage around his leg. Then, once he was done, the man closed his eyes for a moment, as if concentrating. Knowing that it was impossible, Samuel dismissed the brief glimmer of light coming from the wound as a trick of light.

"All right, that should be enough. I'm a quick healer, anyways. As for my friend down there." Lionel parted his tunic, revealing his armour underneath. Contrary to Samuel's first impression, it was not a chain mail, but instead a solid piece of metal, completely covering the man's torso.

"See. Solid." The man tapped against his chest producing a dull gong. "They are difficult to make, of course, and really expensive, but they can save our lives, as you have seen, so they are worth every bit. Go ahead, you can touch it."

So far, Samuel had hesitated, his hand twitching but not daring to actually lift. Now, slowly, he laid his fingers on the man's steel torso, surprised by the warm feel of the metal.

"I don't think this stuff can even be found here. It's lighter and sturdier then steel." Lionel commented. "Enough of that, though. How are we going to get down there again? I doubt you want to jump." the young climber grinned at the older man's question, enjoying the chance to show off. As he had done at the window earlier, he held on with his hands, minimizing the drop, before letting go, his knees easily absorbing the force of impact. "It's quite simple, actually." He taunted. "Of course, there is a staircase behind you to the left."

The man grinned back, before swinging his legs over the railing and jumping, standing up. At the last moment, his hands found the banner he had climbed up on earlier, slowing his fall to manageable levels. "Thanks. I'm fine."

For a moment, Samuel forgot that these strangers had just attacked his city and killed many of his neighbours, and truly smiled back. Somehow, he thought he might come to appreciate the older man's sense of humour and his conviction. Then, the number of bodies on the ground caught his eye and the quiet moans of the injured reached his ears, causing his smile dimmed immediately.

The stranger followed his eyes, and his face darkened as well. "I am sorry this had to happen. Non of us wanted this."

Then, he was gone, stepping up to where his other two companions were standing. Curiously, Samuel inched closer until he could hear their conversation. "... is a good lad. I will let him show me the town. It might help ease the people into the change, and might give us a feel where we stand."

The leader nodded. "Mordred, can you have a look around here? See if you can help the soldiers and make sure they don't do something stupid."

The youngest of the group nodded, causing the leader to turn to the three remaining soldiers. "You were only doing your duty, and I can respect that. No harm will come to you from us. If you would, however, I would appreciate if you could spread a message for me."

The man paused for a moment, as if to read the faces of the three foes, before nodding, seemingly satisfied with what he found. "This town is now part of the Kingdom of Avalon, and as such under the control and protection of King Arthur and us, his knights. If anybody wishes to leave, we will not stop them, but to those who remain, we guarantee safety from unfair prosecution and safety from our hand. We strive, with all your help, to establish a land where law and order rules, where all men are equal, and where no one has to live in fear whether or not he will survive the next day."

Once more, the leader paused, making sure the message had sunken in. To his surprise, Samuel felt himself standing a little bit taller, and with a little bit more hope for the future in his heart, only minutes after he had risked his life to protect a man who had done little for him or his family.

"All right. You may go. Find your families. Assure them you are all right." The leader finally dismissed the trio.

"Actually," Mordred stopped them immediately. "If one of you could bring me some water, or at least take me to the nearest well, I would appreciate it. These men will likely enjoy a drink once they wake up."

"There is a well just out there." The most senior soldier revealed after a moment of hesitation. "I will bring you a bucket in before I leave."

With a nod of thanks, the one called Mordred dismissed the three. At the same time, the leader stepped up to the Earl, who had sunken back down in his throne. "Come on, fatty. That's not your spot, anymore, and judging by your belly, you have some surplus we can distribute amongst the people you took them from, who might actually need the food."

The Earl glared, and did not move. "Those are my supplies. They were given as tribute for using my lands and as tokens of appreciation for my fair rule."

"I really doubt that. And now, MOVE!" On the last word, shouted directly in front of the Earl's face, the leader had laid his hand on the butt of his sword, pulling the blade halfway out of its sheath, his eyes twinkling dangerously.

For the first time, Samuel actually saw the Earl hasten. Waddling ridiculously, he moved to the back door, the leader following behind after a curt nod.

A hand on his shoulder brought Samuel's attention away from the spectacle, and to the man he had promised to show the city. "Come, now. Let's see where Lancelot can bring those supplies once he has them."

The young man nodded and turned, eager to leave the location of the small massacre behind. "What did your leader mean when he told the other guy to take care of the people? What will you do with the bodies? And why would he want water for when they wake up?"

Lionel mustered the lad next to him, suddenly aware that he had been sitting right next to the gallery when the two knights had targeted the Earl's archers.

"Incapacitating somebody with a bow is almost impossible, and we could not risk them getting back up and doing what you were doing, so our shots were lethal. In close combat, however, the situation changes, and we did our best not to kill the soldiers. It was a battle, and unfortunately, that means that there will always be losses, but in this case, I am sure that they were relatively small. Me and my friends are good at fighting."

Samuel frowned at the other man's explanation. Of course, he knew that you could fall unconscious without dieing, but usually, those injured in battle would live short and miserable lives, and despite having seen the three knight's prowess in battle, he doubted it was possible to choose whether to kill or maim. Voicing his concerns, however, caused his follower to smile.

"In the end," he explained, "is is a matter of how the wounds were inflicted, and how they are treated. We have studied the human body long, and have learnt the best way to manipulate it. Trust me, at least thirty of those forty-five bodies in there will get back up and simply walk out. Now, though, show me your town."


	19. 19 Monarchy

_AN: Unfortunately, I have decided to discontinue this story. I feel that my details and especially my characters need some major reworking, and believe that the general lack of interest in this story reflects that._

_For those of you who continue this story faithfully – I'm sorry. As a parting gift, I'm giving you the next chapter and a half. Be aware, though, that I did not proofread the last half-chapter at all, so the grammar and spelling might well be even worse then usual._

**Chapter 19: Monarchy**

Lancelot sighed as he plopped down on his bed, his arms and legs aching from exhaustion. For three days, he, along with his two companions, had travelled all over town, meeting the council of elders and countless citizens in an effort to put their minds at ease and get a feel for their fears and problems.

In the future, Lionel would have to deal with that mostly on his own, since he would be the one staying to rule the city while Lancelot and his son would return to Avalon for their next mission. Before that, however, the king's champion intended to make sure the city was not only quiet, but actually content. If the people learnt to appreciate their new leadership and welcomed it, there was no chance of uprisings, and it would probably give them a better reputation with the other nobles in the area.

Closing his eyes, Lancelot allowed a soothing calm to wash over him, before directing the feeling to his muscles, healing the small cramps and pains standing all day brought. Then, with a groan of relief, the immortal once more closed his eyes, extending his mind over the sea and to a nearby, hidden island.

"_Arthur, are you free?"_

The reply was, as always, nearly instantaneous. _"Of course. How are things going on your side?"_

"_All quiet." _Lancelot reported. _"The people are even getting eager to get a first look at their new king."_

Lancelot could feel his friends frown over their bond. _"So we can go ahead with the next phase, already? That was a lot faster then I expected."_

His champion grinned to himself. Originally, they had planned to stay put for a few months before going ahead with the next phase of their plan.

"_Apparently, the Earl was worse then we originally thought. Once the people had seen a fair rule, they were eager to turn a new leaf. Have you heard from the others, yet?"_

"_Poseidon, now Sir Galahad, was the last to check in a few hours ago. His situation is as calm as yours, but many of the others had a few more problems. They all gave the go-ahead, as well, though, but could not spare anyone right now." _Arthur reported.

"_We don't need them for the next phase, anyways. They should take their time to make sure the people have calmed down and not hasten anything."_

"_Can you give me an estimate on the number of people who chose to leave?" _The king questioned after a moment of pause.

"_Surprisingly few, actually. Most people opted to stay put for a while, until they found out more. Lionel made a new friend who proved to be extremely helpful in convincing the citizens we were the good guys. What about the others?"_

"_The same for Pos, sorry, Galahad, but a few of the others encountered heavy resistance and had to become more violent then we had originally planned. As such, these towns are, of course, more resistant to the change, and quiet a few families left." _Arthur told his friend.

"_Unfortunate, but not critical." _Lancelot judged after a moment. _"So, I'll be returning to Avalon, then?"_

"_Actually, if you don't mind," _his king corrected, _"there is really nothing to do here, so you might as well stay and support Lionel for a while longer while we go ahead with the next phase."_

"_Understood. Check in when you need anything else."_

"_Actually, there is one more thing." _Arthur stopped his friend. _"We are still looking for a suitable place to establish court. You would not have happened to come across something, did you?"_

"_No, but I'll keep my eyes and hears open. Who knows, we might find something." _Lancelot promised. _"I'll talk to you later."_

"_Later, then." _Arthur agreed, closing the connection.

.

Sprota fidgeted with the dagger hidden in the folds of her dress, the only weapon she was carrying. Logically, she knew that there was nobody and nothing out there that might actually be a threat to her, but she had grown accustomed to the extra layer of protection her armour offered her, and did not like being without it, away from Avalon.

For her mission, however, she knew that it was critical to appear perfectly non-threatening. In order not to upset the various noblemen of Europe, the immortals had chosen to stick to the traditional gender roles, those which they had shed Millenia ago. As such, the men had packed their fighting gear and rode to conquer the lands, while the women had stayed behind, waiting for their chance to contribute.

When they had filled in the details for the plan, a lot of thought had gone into the reactions the various neighbours to their lands had would show.

For over a year, they had watched the rulers of southern England and Wales, trying to get to know them. The cruel, evil and greedy had met the men a few days earlier, in a battle of steel and blood. Now, it was Sprota's turn to leave the island.

The town rising in front of her did not appear as impressive as one might have thought, judging by the reputation it's leader had. Instead, its mighty walls had begun to crumble in places, and a large camp of tents and small huts had sprung up around it, indicating rapid, unplaned growth.

With a pang of guilt, Sprota realized that these people might well be citizens fleeing from the surrounding lands her own people had conquered only days ago.

With a steady hand, the woman led her horse to the front gate, where a pair of guards approached her, while a large flock delt with the large queue of commoners on foot lining up in front of the gate. Apparently, access to the city the city was both highly sought after and restricted.

Contrary to her male colleagues, Sprota had opted against carrying a banner with her. For one, it was highly unusual for a lone, female rider to carry a sign normally only used by larger armies. More importantly, however, was that Sprota consciously wanted to appear different from the various assault teams her target had surly heard of, already.

The Marquess of Bristol was widely regarded as a strict, but fair man when dealing with both his fellow nobles and his own subjects. Plans of attacking his city and toppling his government had, as such, been discarded almost immediately. Still, Athene, now Ragnelle, had spent a long time observing the influential man, well aware that his support for their cause might well be all the support they needed, should he give it, due to both the political and economical influence he had over south Britain.

Contrary to most of his neighbours, the Marquess did not have a falling out with the king. Instead, He had respectfully requested to be allowed to recall his troops to protect his one lands and the new southern frontier. In response the king had augmented the then Count's standing, making him a Marquess and thereby acknowledging his land's status as a border region and granting him the priviledge to withdraw his support for the fight against the invading Vikings.

Sprota easily stilled her mount as she reached the front gate, dismounting directly in front of the guard still eyeing her critically.

"My name is Sprota. I am a lady of the Court of Arthur, the king of Avalon and carry a message for the Marquess."

The guard stiffened immediately, and several of the other soldiers close by turned to face her, as well. Obviously, word of their recent tactics and victories had reached Bristol, already.

"I am not here to fight." Sprota tried to diffuse the situation, "but I am prepared to wait until you make any and all preparations you deem necessary."

Immediately, one of the boys playing at the gate was sent ahead, whether to warn the remaining guards, the Marquess, or both, the blonde did not know, and not care. Calmly, as if she had no other care in the world, she turned to her horse and began to curry the majestic animal, well aware that it was exhausted from the long, fast journey.

For over half an hour, she calmly brushed its hair, fed it some grass and gave it some water from a nearby well she was graciously allowed to use. Meanwhile, two dozen more guards, a quatre of them armed with bows, had taken position near her, eyeing her critically. Finally, however, she was taken inside, where, not surprisingly, more soldiers were waiting between her and the Marquess.

"My Lord. Thank you for accepting to hear my proposal, despite the circumstances." Sprota began formally, curtsying deeply as she spoke. Pulling the dagger from her sleeve careful to keep it in its sheath, she placed her only weapon on the floor, before using her foot to slide the blade towards the closest guards.

"No matter what happens today, I will not fight you, or your man. If, at any point, you wish me to leave, I will, of course, comply immediately."

The seasoned ruler still eyed her critically, clearly not completely trusting her, but also, she noted relieved, not actively distrusting her anymore, either. Obviously, her plan had worked quiet nicely.

"My king, his royal Highness, Arthur of Avalon, has tasked me with a message for you. We have, for many moths, observed your lands, your armies and your people, and nothing has given us any reason for concern. As such, with our recent acquisition of several villages and towns in your sphere of influence, I have been sent to offer you our hand in friendship."

The Marquess still sat on his chair, eyeing her silently and critically. Finally, just as Sprota began to plan what else she might say to convince him of her good intentions, he spoke up.

"With great interest and, I admit, a fair bit of reservations, my advisors and I have observed the fast rise of your kingdoms. So far, my sources indicate your rule to be fair, but obviously, you are not peaceful people."

Sprota gulped inwardly, well aware that the unasked question was 'how can I trust you, then'.

"My king Arthur has no interest in the acquisition of land, My Lord. We have taken the castles and towns we have in our deep routed believe, that their rulers were corrupted by their power, and the people would have a better life under the jurisdiction of Avalon. You know the various Counts of the region. Can you honestly say that those we attacked were good men, concerned for the welfare of their people?"

"That does not matter." The Marquess argued, "They have been granted their lands by my king, Atheistan, and only he has the right to relieve them of their rule."

"We both know, as your ascension to the title of Marquess proves, that these lands have been lost to your king." Sprot a countered immediately, having expected the argument. "On the contrary, with those lands now under my king's control, you will not have to fight a two-fronted battle."

The Marquess frowned. "Only if you do not attack our south, with a larger, unified army we might not be able to defeat."

"Were we to lay claim to your lands, we would not need the armies of the conquered towns. We are few in numbers, but, as you have undoubtably heard, very skilled in combat. I am here, have been sent here by my king personally, to offer you our hand in friendship. Our towns are open for your merchants to trade, our halls open for your men to rest, and our table open for you to feast on."

"A most generous offer." The Marquess seemed surprised. "You will understand, that I won't be able to take you up on it just yet."

Sprota smiled politely. "Of course. Just know, that the offer remains until you deem us trustworthy enough to honour us with your presence."

"And where would I find you, then? So far, I have only heard rumours of your true identity."

Sprota nodded. So far, the Marquess would have only heard rumours about them, period.

"His royal Highness, my King Arthur, is the only son of Uther Pendragon, conceived only days before his father's death and hidden away immediately after his birth on our small island, the home of his mother. Only recently, we, his family, and he himself, have been made aware of his true identity.

When my king saw the state of his birthright, he chose not to sit by, idly, but asked us to leave our home and risk the journey here with him, to bring peace and order to his people. A few of us left immediately, and began to get to know the new inhabitants of Britain, so that, when the main group arrived a few weeks ago, they were able to sent us to the right people.

As a result, however, we are still searching for a suitable seat for is royal highness, who is, so far, still hidden away to protect him. Once we find an appropriate castle, I will have you informed of it's location, and Arthur will begin to travel his lands and, should you allow it, would be glad to have the chance to get to know you and to sign a formal treaty."

The Marquess inspected Sprota for several long moments, before nodding his head, slowly.

"Very well. For now, I am not going to consider your rapid expansion a urgent threat to my people. I will, however, watch you closely, and later on decide how to deal with you."

Sprota curtsied low. "I could not ask for more, my lord."

.

Trumpets sounded through the kings encampment, alerting the residents to a new threat and causing the man to hurridly assemble into their ranks.

Fully closing his belt, fixing his sword to his hip, King Atheistan finally stepped out of his tent, looking towards his steward for an explanation.

"I am Sorry, your highness. I do not know, yet."

The king's knights, about twenty nobleman, mostly second and third sons, serving in his army as part of their family's tribute to him to supervise their soldiers, approached him at that moment, riding hurridly through the camp in case of an attack on their liege.

They arrived at the same time as a herald, bringing news from the palisade surrounding the encampment.

"Riders, your highness, about a dozen of them. They appear unhurried, but heavily armed. Their banner is unknown to me, but they are approaching from England," the man reported, gasping for air after having run the whole way.

King Atheistan of England frowned. Non of his nobleman had promised to sent any support, and non of them would do so without explicitly being asked. While the war was not going well, it was not going badly, either, so the king had not seen the need to request reenforcements, especially given the situation in the south that would require his nobles' attention.

"Bring me my horse. Let's see see these riders." After all, an attack on his whole army with only twenty men, no matter how strong, would have had no chance to succeed.

Sir Galahad bowed low. "Your royal highness, I bear greetings from my liege, King Arthur, the son of Uther Pendragon. He has landed his army in the south of his island and begun to retake the lands his father had owned before him to bring peace and justice to England."

Small, hurried whispers in the crowd, and the king's frown alerted Galahad to his blunder. "Please, your highness, allow me to clarify before you pass judgement on me and my king. My king has no wish to quarrel with you, and has only taken those lands that had previously decided to abandon you. Your loyal subjects and the lands under the control of his majesty remain, of course, untouched."

The king continued to frown. "And what is your purpose in our camp, then, messenger."

"I am Sir Galahad, knight of his majesties court." the immortal introduced himself with one more short bow. "My king, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that it would not be fit to reap the benefits of your struggle in the north without contributing. As such, he has, as a first token of appreciation, sent me and my comrades, some of the best knights of the Kingdom of Avalon, to come and offer you our tongue and sword, to serve you as advisor and to reinforce your ranks."

The king nodded curtly. "Your kings gesture is appreciated, Sir Galahad. I welcome you to our encampment and hope to welcome you and your men to my table, tonight, to get to know you."

In the background, one of the knights gave a derogative snort. "Twelve men. Most of them have probably never seen combat before."

Galahad chose to get to ignore the snide for now, instead bowing to the king once more "You honour me, your highness. For now, though, if your highness allows, we would like to unload our gear and then make a quick tour of the land, to get to know our fighting grounds, so we have a chance to prove ourselves to you in battle."

King Atheist jerked his head to one of his knights. "Lord Edward will show you some empty tents and will guide you through the area. The lands south of here are mostly safe, so you can explore them at your leisure. The North is controlled by the axons, though, so I would recommend against going there, unless you have a urgent wish to join your creator."

Glancing at the North for a moment, Galahad nodded. "We will have to travel there, anyways, however, so we can get to know the enemy. Is there any kind of truce in effect we would have to keep? And do you have information on the enemy's numbers?"

"Although we are currently not engaged in a large battle, there have been several small skirmishes along the whole frontier, so there is not even an informal truce for you to keep. The enemies has about one thousand two hundred men at arms, which is slightly more then what we have, but most of their man are equipped with spears and axes, so we are about equal in strength. Alone in the North, though, you will be vastly outnumbered, and I do not have the strength to mount a rescue mission for you."

Galahad nodded. "I thank you for your concern, but can assure you it is unnecessary. My knights and I are able warriors and won't have a problem with any smaller patrol, and with out horses, we should be easily able to outrun the main body of the army. Therefore, I can assure you we will be here in time to honour your invitation."

.

_A few weeks later_

"Arthur, thank you for coming." Lancelot welcomed his friend after greeting his wife with a small kiss. "I have found something I thought might interest you."

Early in the morning, Lancelot had contacted his king before informing his companions and sneaking out of the castle to meet Arthur in a small forest a few hours away and well out of sight from the town.

"Of course." Arthur replied easily. "You have piqued my interest. What is it?"

Lancelot lead his two visitors back into the shuttle they had arrived in, before activating the cloak and powering the engines. "I have heard rumours and thought they sounded perfect."

While their Asgard-grade interplanetary engines would have been able to bring them to their goal in moments, the need for secrecy usually prevented the shuttles to reach supersonic speeds. Seeing his friends throttling the engines, however, Arthur reached forward and flicked a switch over the pilot's head.

"Let her rip!" Confused, Lancelot turned around, arching his eyebrow at his friend, silently demanding an explanation. "I have taken the liberty to use our prototype phase-shift-able shuttle. Since we can not interact with the air particles around us, we can not create a sonic boom."

Nodding, Lancelot grinned as he pushed the engines to full power, causing his wife to mutter silently in the background. "Men will be men."

Within moments, however, the pilot had to engage the breaks, causing the inertia dampeners to lurch as they compensated for the rapid deceleration. With a steady hand, the immortal guided his craft back to the ground, setting it down on the edge of a small hill.

As the background lowered and the group stepped out of the phase-shift and back into real-space, Arthur glanced up at the castle over his head.

"Locals call it Cadbury Castle." Lancelot explained without promoting.

"I had hoped for something a bit more...intact." Arthur commented carefully.

Lancelot chuckled. "Don't worry. I had, as well. Cadbury has two major advantages, though. For one, by choosing an existing, but unused building, you declare your loyalty to your ancestors without actually favouring one town over the others. More importantly, however, Merlin's laboratory is about twenty kilometres north, north west of here."

Arthur nodded, before stopping abruptly, inspecting his friend once more. "So?"

"So, we are far enough away that any technology we might use in the castle would not interfere with the experiments conducted there. At the same time, though, we are close enough to keep an eye on it, to get there quickly if something were to happen, even by horse, and to protect the area from any eventual attack."

Arthur nodded, before turning back to the castle. "We would have to reconstruct it. Make sure the defences are up to date, and get a roof back up."

"I'd recommend calling in masons and other craftsman from all over the kingdom. That way, we can speed up the construction, and at the same time distribute some wealth to the people and still some hunger."

Arthur nodded, sensing that his friend had thought about many of the problems, already, before turning to their female companion. "What do you think?"

"It's doable, I guess." Persephone, now Guinevere, finally commented. "There's quiet a bit of work to be done, but I am sure we can make it happen. The advantages my husband mentioned convinced me to go ahead."

"I had hoped you would say that." Arthur grinned. "Because I just thought that the castle truly needed a woman's touch."

"And a name." Lancelot added. "Continuing to call it Cadbury Castle would mean we are living in a past, and, while the castle is well outside of the small town, it would create a connection and thereby negating the first advantage."

Arthur looked over at his champion's wife, pensively. "Since you are responsible, I'll leave it up to you to decide."

.

Two years later, Camelot was the crown jewel of the young kingdom, standing tall over the surrounding lands and seating its king and his round table, officially his advisors and enforces, but in reality of course his immortal family.

Internationally, the young kingdom steadily grew in respect. While most of the established rulers had originally been sceptical of the rising star, their rapid growth, strong economy and skilled warriors quickly gained them respect and recognition.

For many moths, the monarchs of continental Europe was content to ignore their new peer, keeping their elite community closed of to the newcomer. Eventually, though, to acknowledge their steadily increasing part in the defence against the viking invaders in the north, King Atheistan of England invited Arthur, his champion Lancelot, and Galahad, the commander of the Avalonian knights in the north, to his birthday banquet, thereby introducing them to the more sophisticated society.

In response, the European monarchs suddenly begun to desperately try and curry favours with Arthur, inviting him and his nobles to their own balls and functions.

One of the first of those was the king of France, Rudolph, inviting his English peer to a ball held in his honour. Arthur, of course, accepted happily, taking Sprota with him as his escort for the night, never forgetting the originally reason he had agreed to become king.

"Arthur, a word, if you can?"

Arthur nodded, inspecting their wise guide during these times curiously. Normally, Merlin hardly ever left his lab, instead preferring to spend as much time as possible with his research, only leaving to eat and sleep irregularly and for some rare, important councils. The only time the immortals usually had any contact with him was when they joined him, either to help him, to seek his guidance or to learn from him. "Of course, what can I do for you."

"I have heard that you have been invite to various functions amongst the nobles of Europe."

Acknowledging the king's nod, he continued.

"Your status demands that you dress appropriately, including a proper weapon to carry by your side."

With a flourish, Arthur revealed the blade strapped to his side. "It is one of the sturdiest blades ever to come out of the smiths of Britain."

"Yet, it is not a weapon fit for a king." Merlin disagreed. "You need something special, something, to represent your future role amongst them, not something to go to battle with."

"I see." Arthur conceded. "I will confer with the others, to come up with a design. Hopefully, we will be able to complete it before the celebration at the court of France. The sword might be just the advantage we need to convince the king."

Merlin turned around, picking up a bundle of cloth on the table and presenting it to his king. "My fundamental research could not continue without the stone, so I began experimenting with ways to implement my research into a functioning weapon."

Pulling the cloth aside, he revealed a blade, the edges beautifully crafted with curved lines of silver grey metal and the handle made from gold and richly decorated valuable gems. What made the blade one of a kind, though, was the blade, that was completely transparent, glittering in all the colours of the rainbow whenever a beam of light struck it.

"This is the first and only weapon capable of killing an ascended being. The stone functions as a large crystal computer, that generates the counter frequency."

"You did it!" Arthur gasped. "You actually managed to create the weapon."

"No." Moros denied immediately. Confused, the monarch mustered the alien, feeling that there was something not yet revealed. "This weapon is not crafted as a blade simply by accident. Wounds inflicted with it on an ascended being's body will not be able to heal any more then they would on a normal human, and a fatal would will kill the ascended."

Finally, Arthur understood the other man's apprehension. "But ascended beings do not have a body. This weapon is useless, or at least has no more use then a normal sword would."

"There is one thing that only this sword is capable of." The 'wizard' disagreed.

For several long moments, Arthur stared at the weapon, uncomprehending, before flinching back violently. "Killing us. We have a body, so this sword can kill us."

Merlin nodded solemnly, his eyes never leaving the other man's face, gauging his reaction. "This is a powerful weapon. In fact, I would strongly recommend against revealing it's existence to the others."

"Why?" The king questioned, obviously slightly angry. "They have a right to know that there is something out there that can kill them; that you created something that might someday kill them."

"Right now," The Descended argued, "there is no ill will between any of you, because every one of you knows that any struggle you might have would be a draw. This has the power to change that."

"Then why did you build it?"

"Imagine one of you is captured by the enemy, and you can not get to him in time to prevent him from being severely tortured." Merlin explained, "Would it not be merciful to have the ability to end his life, to prevent him from suffering for eternity?"

"I still believe that the others have a right to know." Arthur finally disagreed after taking a moment to think.

"And I will and can not stop you if you decide to tell them, but I will appeal to your senses. Nothing good can come from them knowing."

The king shook his head. "I have to, though. Despite them calling me king, now, they are my equals and friends, not my subjects and pawns. I will present the sword to them, before locking it away in the most secure location I can find."

"At least wear it to the banquet of the French king. A weapon like this one, a sword made from stone, will be perfect to underline your claim to a royal linage. Do not forget why we did all this."

.

Trumpets echoed of the walls as the pair entered the throne room, a herald announcing their entrance.

"His royal highness, King Arthur of Avalon and Camelot, escorting Lady Sprota."

Arthur could feel the attention on him. The moment he had entered the room, every one of the nobles had turned to him and his companion, analyzing their attire, stance and behaviour as they passed judgement on whether or not the pair fit into their midst.

Obviously, both had dressed for the occasion, appearing in the finest cloths and wearing unique and exquisite jewels. What drew the attention of those in attendance, though, was the sword hanging from the new king's hips, lacking a sheath to display the one of a kind blade for all to see.

After greeting the king, thanking him for his invitation, and complimenting him on the celebrations, the two newcomers began to mingle, all the while keeping a lookout for their true target. In the end, he found them.

"Arthur of Avalon. I really should have made the connection sooner."

For a moment, Arthur had trouble recognizing the young, unexperienced teenager he had gotten to know with the confident and tall man standing in front of him. As the Count of Normandy spotted Sprota, though, quietly standing behind her king and observing the happenings, his eyes softened, and his face morphed into more familiar lines.

"Yes, you should have."

Arthur's joke fell on deaf ears, though, because William had focused completely on Sprota.

"My lady. My heart sores at the chance to see you again. So far, I had not even dared to hope."

The king grinned. Apparently, with his boost in confidence and leadership, the Count had also acquired a smooth tonge. Happily, the monarch stepped back, allowing the couple to court privately.

"William! Darling! There you are." The Count in questioned flinched rather violently, hearing the sickly-sweet, high pitched voice behind him. "Oh, wonderful! You made new friends."

"Your highness, Lady Sprota, may I introduce you to my wife, Luitgarde of Vermandois. I was fortunate to find my father had arranged for our marriage shortly before his death. Luitgarde, the king and his escort are old friends of mine."

"Charmed, my Lady." Arthur forced a smile on his face as he leaned down to place a kiss on the outstretched hand, knowing that, as he was the one of higher social standing, she should be curtsying. Internally, though, he winced, well aware that his mission had just failed, although he noted William had stumbled slightly when he had mentioned his father's politics.

"Oh! There's Lady Violet. I'll simply have to tell her what the duchess of Bordeux is wearing. Excuse me." Before either of the three had a chance to answer, she had turned and disappeared back into the crowd.

"I am sorry." William began after a moment of silence. "I am afraid that she has not been blessed with sense of tact nor politics."

"Why did you agree to the union, then?" Sprota questioned, a little bit of hurt creeping into her voice.

The Count gulped slightly, before looking to the ground, ashamed. "As I said, I had not expected to ever see you again. Since I could not have the w..life I wanted, I believed I had nothing to loose by following the contact. Breaking it would have meant repercussions from the king and for my family's reputation. Also, the dowery, the towns of Longueville, Coudres and Illiers l'Eveque, was quiet sizable.

We have been wedded in a large ceremony a year ago. In a way, I am thankful that no child was born to that night. I am not sure whether or not she would be able to raise a good heir, one that would follow my family's tradition and make him a court-flower."

"As I have told Sprota, many years ago, the union of two people is not something to be done lightly. Apart from having to spent the rest of your lives together, true love forms a connection that is deeper then anything else in this world. Never should the marriage be used as a bargaining chip."

"Thankfully, I never had to do that." Sprota added.

William nodded for a moment, before his mind made the connection. As his memories of the day they had last met resurfaced, he stared at the young woman. "Back then, I was too weak to follow my heart, and now, it is too late. I am sorry."

"Do not worry about me." Sprota answered as she gently laid her hand on the much younger man's arm. I am sorry that you have to live the life before you."

The Count smiled. "In my long, lonely nights, I often find solace in my mother's teachings of my peoples traditions from before we became christians. In the north, two people are only truly wed until they have bathed together in the water of the holy springs near our village. This way, at least, my soul still has a chance to go free once it is freed from its worldly confines."

"A beautiful tradition." Sprota smiled softly. "I stand by what I thought when I boldly proposed our union. You would have made a good husband. Luitgarde is very lucky."

"I am not sure I can give her what she wants, or that she can give me what I want. Our goals in life are too different."

Arthur was surprised by the man's openesse. "So how do you plan to continue your line? I can not imagine you would plan to die without an heir."

The Count seemed startled, as if he had forgotten that he and Sprota were not alone. "I don't know." He seemed mournful. "I really don't know. You are right, though, I will have to find a way to produce a son."

"What happened to the stone?" Arthur finally asked. "I am sorry, but I have to ask. I promise you, it is important."

While William grabbed for the amulet, hidden under his shirt, Sprota shot her king an angry look. "Could you be any more thoughtless."

Conspiriously, Arthur grinned, before excusing himself and mingling with the crowd.

Three months later, a ship left France, heading north to Norway, where the chieftain welcomed his southern landsman and his new wife before leading them to the small spring in his lands.

Amongst the guests for the small ceremony was Arthur, king of Camelot, who gladly accepted a small stone as bride price.

.

A year later, Merlin happily emerged from his laboratory and asked all immortals to meet him on Avalon.

"As you know," he began when everybody had arrived and he had double-checked that the phase-shift device hid their conversation from the rest of his kind, "thanks to Sprota, I have been able to study the stone that intereferes with the Ascended's ability to penetrate it.

Today, I am pleased to announce that I have finally understood that phenomenon."

Exited whispers broke out through the crowd, before Arthur banged his fist on the table to quiet them. "Go on, please."

"Thank you. As I said, I have finally understood what made the stone special. Contrary to my first hypotheses, it is not the material itself that makes the stone impenetrable. Instead, the molekules the material is made of are in a constant, specific state of excitement. Using the frequency we have previously determined to test it, I have been able to recreate that exact level of excitement in other matter samples, that the ascended energy has then been unable to penetrate it.

Using my new findings, I now plan to create a bomb-like device, that will unleash two shockwaves in immediate succession. The first wave will recreate the energy levels required to prevent interaction with matter, thereby isolating the ascended beings, before the second wave will disconnect them from the energy field. Without anything to anchor on, their highly dynamic and highly fragile energy-shape will hopefully simply dissipate."

Arthur nodded. "That went a lot faster then I had originally expected."

"We are hardly done, yet." Merlin laughed dryly. "I have a working hypotheses as to how a weapon might work, and no real way to test it. In the end, I might be all wrong, and all our work so far would have been for naught. Even if it works out, though, we still have to come up with a way to generate the waves, to spread them quickly and throughout the whole galaxy before the Ori have a chance to react, and to deliver our device to the Ori galaxy."

"Do you know how long that will take?" Ragnelle, formerly Athene, asked. She had, in the past few years since Lancelot left for Ilchester, been the one to work with Moros the most, aiding him and learning from him in the process.

"Years, at least. We will probably need quiet a few resources we have not acquired yet, some of which we won't be able to synthesice."

.

The people of England enjoyed a truly happy life. King Arthur ruled fairly and guided by the rule of law, while his knights maintained the peace throughout the lands and supported king Atheistan's fight in the north against the Vicing invaders.

Eventually, however, concerns of the population caused Lancelot to seek an audience with his liege.

"Arthur, we may have a problem."

The king glanced at his oldest friend, the curiosity clear in his eyes as he easily saw his champion's anxiety.

"It's the people. They are contend, happy even, but they fear for the future. While the king has shown himself on various occasions, almost nothing is known about his family. Without a heir, they fear the kingdom will one day crumble once again."

Arthur froze, memories of his only son and the woman who had bore him rising from where they lay buried. For long, painful moments the king fought the ghosts of his past, before Lancelot's hand squeezing his shoulder brought him back to the here and now.

"I know, my friend, and I am sorry I had to bring it up."

"Your reason was valid. I am not ready to take a new wife, yet, though, let alone bring an heir into this world." Arthur replied, smiling weakly and his own hand grabbing his friend's and squeezing back slightly to show he was all right.

Lancelot nodded. "I know, which is why I talked with my wife about this. While both of us have been in public, just as every body else, few know of our relationship."

"I'm not sure I can follow." The monarch frowned.

"What bothers the people is not so much that you don't have a heir, but more, that you do not appear to be trying to get one. You are unmarried, and do not appear to be courting anybody, either." Lancelot explained.

"I was not aware that my personal live was that transparent to the common people."

"People talk, be they nobles or commoners, rich or poor. Your live is one of interest to all of them, so of course, gossip about you will spread rapidly."

Arthur nodded. "So what is it you propose?"

"You marry my wife."

Lancelot delivered his proposal perfectly serious, his voice dry and his eyes without any humour. Otherwise, Arthur was sure he would have began to laugh madly.

"You can not be serious. That is possibly the worst possible solution I could think of."

His champion shook his head. "Think about it. This is all about appearances. Guinevere has lived with you for a long time, so a long, unfulfilled love is very plausible and we can correct the situation quickly. At the same time, you would of course not have to consumate the marriage, thereby both remaining faithful to your wife and me, respectively."

Arthur frowned. "Are you both aware of the consequences of what you are proposing?"

"Of course." Lancelot nodded. "we discussed it at length."

"You could not be seen together." the king cautioned.

"Only in public, only intimitly, and only until this mission ends." the other immortal objected.

"A mission which might take a lot longer, yet."

"Not compared to our lifespan. We have to age with the others, and can not live past a human's natural life without drawing attention to our nature. In any case, this mission has an expiration date, fifty years from now."

Thinking for a moment, Arthur finally peered at his friend. "There will be another way. We will find somebody else."

Lancelot shook his head. "You know that we would need somebody we can trust unconditionally. The others are busy, or a union would be less plausible to the people. This is the best way."

Arthur paused once more. "Very well."

Two months later, Camelot shone brightly all throughout the night, decorated majestically, as the people celebrated the wedding of their king and the love of his life. The festival lasted for days attendance was considered mandatory for Europe's high society.


	20. 20 Downturn

**Chapter 20: Turning point**

Samuel kneeled on the ground, his head bent low in reverence.

"Please, stand, young friend. I can assure you, I'm just as human as Lionel is. You don't kneel when addressing him, do you?"

The lad hesitated for a moment, before standing slowly, his head determinedly bent. He had accompanied Sir Lionel, who had taken over ruling the city of Ilchester in Arthur's name, to the festival. As one of the knights of Arthur's famous roundtable, where the king sat with his knights as equals, Lionel was, of course, invited. Samuel, as his squire, aid and apprentice at once, had been given the honour to accompany him, to finally see the capital, to participate in the celebrations and to be of service to his master.

For a short moment, Samuel glanced over at his mentor, before his eyes shot back to the ground, causing the two immortals to share a curious look.

"Your royal highness, thank you for hearing me. I am unsure whether or not it is appropriate for me to be the one to bring this matter to your attention." The young hesitated. "Actually, I am sure it is not, but I felt that you had to know."

Arthur, sensing the young man's hesitation, stepped down from his throne, hoping to appear more human when standing eye to eye. "I have made it a policy never to blame the messenger. Be sure to follow your heart, and speak freely, if it so tells you, knowing that no harm will befall you."

Samuel took a deep breath, once more glancing to Lionel.

"The night after your wedding, your majesty, I was down by the kitchens. We intended to drink to your majesties health and virility, but lacked the necessary mead to do so."

Once more, tha lad faltered. "I saw your wife there, my royal highness." He finally reported, his voice raceing due to his skittish nerves. "She was with Sir Lancelot, and they appeared to be intimitly acquainted."

Arthur took a step back, his eyes wide in shock, before looking over to Lionel.

"_Is he trustworthy?"_

For once, the other immortal would not have needed telepathy to understand the question. With a slight incline of his head, he indicated yes.

"Samuel." Arthur's attention rested solely on the boy, causing the lad to shrink back, while his eyes bravely held his monarch's. "Were you alone down there? Was there anybody else with you? Did you tell anybody else?"

The squire shook his head. "I was with a couple of other squires, your highness. I tried to swear them to secrecy, but they insisted on telling their lieges. There is gossip all over town, already. I should have come faster, your highness. I'm sorry."

The king grimaced. Originally, he had planed to inform the lad that the wedding was only for show, since he was still mourning his own wife, and that he would someday name his friends' child his heir, but that dissception would have required the secret to remain one.

"You have not, young friend. I thank you for your service to me. Please, leave me now, though, so I can decide how to deal with the situation."

Samuel bowed low. "I live to serve, your highness."

Turning, he left the room and Lionel made to follow.

Arthur's hand stopped the knight. Leaning in, the king began to whisper. "Find Lancelot. Inform him of the situation. I will tell Guinivere, and contact him then. He is to lay low for now, until we find a solution."

With a bow, Lionel left the hall as well, leaving the king to curse quietly.

.

"Twenty Four hours!" The king raged, his two most trusted friends quietly standing before him. "You proposed a plan, and you could not even keep it up for twenty four hours! What were you thinking?"

Lancelot grimaced. "Nothing. It happened. We did not plan this, Arthur. I'm sorry."

Guinevere nodded in consent. "We accidentally bumped into each other trying to find some food, and took advantage of the moment. We did not even think about the chances of somebody seeing us."

Arthur slumped down into the comfortable recliner behind him, enjoying the warmth of the fire heating his small, personal study, before motioning for his friends to do the same. A few minutes ago, his champion had snuck in via a secret passageway, allowing the three immortals to discuss their problem face to face.

"I know. Accidents happen. I am sorry. I shouldn't have shouted."

"You had every right to, actually." Guinevere put in, smiling slightly.

For a moment, Arthur grinned back. "Maybe, but you are my friends, first and foremost."

For a moment, the three elders sat in silence, contemplating their situation.

"So," Lancelot finally broke the silence. "What happens now?"

"At first, I wanted to simply ignore the whole thing. Swear the lad to silence, and go on with out lives." Arthur explained. "But with the other noblemen knowing, I can't."

"It would undermine your authority." Guinevere agreed.

"So we deny the whole thing?" Lancelot questioned? "Claim they are lying, or they saw somebody else?"

"Better then ignoring it, but I don't think anybody would believe it, actually." Arthur sighed.

"It is mandatory that you appear to deal with this swiftly and descisively, Arthur." Guinevere cautioned. "The worst possible outcome now is to appear weak in front of your subjects."

"We could just allow the whole kingdom to collaps. We have what we wanted." Arthur suggested halfheartedly.

"No. We all know that this is possibly the most important thing we have done yet." His 'wife' disagreed. "The people are experiencing a fair law. For the first time, they have a chance to live freely and peacefully. We can not simply take that away because it is unconvinient."

"So what?" The king questioned. "What other choices do we have?"

"You can not punish your wife." Lancelot began. "The people still view marriage as a holy sacrament, a blessing from god. To violate your oath to her and him would be even worse then violating the people's trust."

"So what do you propose?" Arthur asked, already guessing what his friend was aiming at.

"You will have to punish me. You will have to find a punishment that is seen as fitting, yet honours my contributions so far, and that can withstand any scrunity regarding it's fairness."

"We will have to find it." His wife corrected quietly. "We are all in this together."

.

"Lastly, there is one more point that has been brought to our attention that we must address." Arthur spoke, standing up from his throne where he had held council with his knights and the nobles of his kingdom.

"Sir Lancelot du Lac, please step forward."

Lancelot complied, appearing, to all those not in the know, at least, completely confused.

"Sir Lancelot, you have served us well – as our champion, our advisor and our friend. Today, we have a new task for you."

The knight knelt before his king, bowing his head. "I live to serve, my liege."

"Merlin, our wizard, has found clues to the location of the Holy Grail, the cup our saviour, Jesus Christ, used in his last meal. It is our wish that you persue these clues, and bring me the relic, so it may support our claim to our god-given title and position."

Hushed, exited whispers broke out through the crowd of attending noblemen. Every couple of years, a few young lads, anxious for fame and glory, left their homes to search for the grail. Some never returned, having been waylaid by bandits or starved to death when they failed to find work and pay for their supplies. Most, however, eventually gave up their quest and returned home, to use the experience and knowledge they had gathered to start a family.

Amongst the better educated and wiser population, the search for the holy grail was a fools hope. While many accepted that the cup existed, nobody believed it could be found. As such, as the immortals had hoped, most of the guests understood the new mission to be a punishment for the knight, exiling him away from Camelot.

"I will not return without it, your majesty." Lancelot promised.

Moros had, indeed, given the immortal a task when he had heard of the dispute, although not one related to a religious artifact. As he had forecasted a year earlier, when he had briefed the immortals on his promising progress with the weapon, he now needed raw, natural grown diamonds to produce crystal-based computing power.

While artificially producing diamonds of any size was easy enough using titanium-carbid, the Alteran's more advanced quantum technology relied on natural, completely random imperfections.

As such, Lancelot left England for France, before disappearing into the countryside. After a few more days of travel, a completely different looking rider sold his horse in a little in, before being picked up by Sir Gwain, the former Herakles, in a small forest nearby using one of the immortals stealth ships.

After dropping his friend of at Avalon, Lancelot now finally left for central Africa, his traces sufficiently covered up. Everybody searching for him would loose him somewhere in central Europe.

Establishing a mining operation was easy enough. Although he was alone and did not wish to harm the environment or leave lasting proof of his presence, the advanced machenery and the sophisticated sensors, working almost autonomous, allowed him to relatively easy locate and extract the larger diamonds.

Every week or so, when he had collected a fair amount of stones, he used the auto-pilot of his shuttle to send them back to Merlin for study. More often then not, one of his friends, or his wife or son, chose to take the shuttle back and keep him company for a while.

.

About a year and a half later, Merlin once again came looking for Arthur in his throne room.

"Arthur, if you could spare me a few hours, I have a project I'd like your help with."

The king stood immediately, already having dismissed his servants and advisors when he had spotted the alien enter. "Of course."

"Not right away." Merlin interjected immediately. "I have already sent for Galahad. Once he arrives, begin. Ideally, I would want Sir Lancelot here, as well."

Arthur sat back down, before motioning for the wizard to take seat. "What did you need us for?"

"I think I may have found a way to combine the two wavefronts we need," the Alteran explained. "If I fail, though, I might produce a quiet sizable explosion. I'm not sure the shield generatos we have could adept their frequencies fast enough, so you will have to do it by hand."

With a nod, Arthur greeted his 'queen', who had just stepped into the room, before replying. "So do you need Lancelot, or will anybody do? He is quiet a bit away, on your order."

"I know." Merlin affirmed. "Which is why I said ideally. Simulations show the energy output to be quiet large, and the scattering of frequencies quiet complex. The better you can use your powers, the better."

"Hence your request for the three oldest of us." Arthur understood.

"Indeed. Also, the three of you have spent the most time honing their abilities."

"I will do it." Arthur looked at Guinevere, before arching an eyebrow at Merlin.

The Descended shrugged his shoulders. "It should work. Of course, this is an experiment and even I still don't understand everything that is happening during my work, so I can not be sure."

The king inspected the other man for long moments, before nodding to their female companion. "Be ready. We will leave the moment Galahad arrives."

Guinevere nodded, before turning to the inventor. "How do you plan to finally deliver the system? You told us earlier that that was one of the problems you were still working on."

Merlin shrugged. "There are many possibilites – a ship, the Stargate network, an unstable wormhole. For now, though, I wanted a working prototype, since I have no idea when we might need it. If the Ori came here to attack us, we would not need to deliver it, anyways."

"Could they really come that fast?" Arthur questioned, frowning. "I was under the impression that we were quite safe."

"We are." The Alteran confirmed. "Right now, they do not know you even exist. Should they ever find out, though, they could be here virtually immediately."

.

In a dark, clingy cave, deep under south English soil and only accessible via a ring transporter from Avalon, three figures stood in a circle around a small platform, their hands extended in front of them, while a fourth man observed them.

"All right. Be ready. I will activate the device. When I tell you to, or if you feel something does not work out right, do not hesitate to activate your shields." Merlin cautioned.

All three immortals nodded, their hands suddenly glowing with pent up energy.

"Whenever you want." Arthur finally murmured, his voice barely a murmur due to his high level of focus.

With a nod, Merlin fliced a swith on the device before him, causing a few screens and dozens of lights all over the room to light up. All of a sudden, a bright light shone from the ceiling, passing directly through the assortment of diamonds on the pedestal.

"All right. So far, everything is going according to plan." Merlin confirmed.

With an even brighter flash, a round, metallic device appeared on the table. "That's stage one, the control and energy unit."

A few minutes later, sweat began dripping down the three immortals' foreheads. Then, another flash announced the creation the second stage. "That one generates the wave used to disconnect the immortals from the energy field." Merlin explained.

A few taps on his keys, and the humanoid alien nodded. "All right, all values appear in order. Beginning stage three."

All four participants were on edge. They all knew that assembling the whole system would be the most critical stage of the process.

"Stage three will be responsible for generating the wave to pull the ascended beings into real-space." Moros explained. "Capping it is a recreation of the gem we got from William, that will be responsible for polarising the output."

"Heads up! Here it comes!"

With a flash of light, the thrid stage materialized on top of the other two, forming three concentrical circles, each about half a hand in height and each stage slightly smaller then its predescsor. On top of the whole structure sat an array of transparent stones, the original diamonds controlling the energy flux, holding up a copper-red marble – the recreation of the keystone.

"All right. The matter creation was successful." Merlin confirmed after analysing the readout of his equipment. "How are you holding up? If you can, I'd like to try and connect the three stages and power them up."

Getting nods from all around, he turned back to reactivate the computer. "Interface works in expected parameters." He commented absentmindedly. "Acitvating powersource."

All of a sudden, the whole device lit up, the diamonds shining in a pale blue light and the marble on top giving of a red hue.

Franatically, Merlin began hacking into his keyboard, pulling up and closing countless sensor data. "Shields!" He finally shouted, only moments later. "The keystone is unstable. I'm trying to disconnect it."

Arthur and Galahad, their reflexes honed by combat, reacted immediately, their shields appearing strong and bright white and covering their respecitve thirds of the circle. Guinevere was only moments behind them.

Those moments made all the difference, though. By the time Merlin had fully understood their predicament, the energy levels had passed the threshhold. By the time the two men had errected their shield, the blood-red glowing crystal on top of the structure had violently exploded outwards.

The queen's shield, however, had only partially formed. Desparatly, the lone female fought against the onslaught of kinetic and thermal energy of the explosion. Her shield still had not completely formed, leaving a large bump in the shield dome the three elders had intended to create.

Then, the device finally chanelled energy through the intended capacitators.

All of a sudden, an electromagnetic wavefront crashed into the three shields. Ideally, the frequencies emitted should have completely cancelled out the powers used by the immortals. Luckily, in this case, the damage done to the weapon by the overload had corrupted the emitters enough to slightly change the output.

For Arthur and Galahad, the impact of the electromagnetic wave caused a drastic drop in their shield strength. Struggling, the two warriors reached deeper into their powers, trying to compensate their loss of efficiency. Yet, step by step, the two were pushed back.

"Merlin! Do something!" Arthur finally pressed through his teeth, his face tense from the concentration.

Before the descended Alteran had a chance to react, though, the third part of the shield collapsed. Immediately, the high pressure pressed the heat and shrapnel out through the newly created gap, and right towards the completely exhausted Guinevere.

Her two companions tried to compensate, stretching their own field to the limit to close the breach, while the queen dropped to the ground, hoping to escape the sudden danger.

The jet of fire shot out of its confines as it broke through the weak edges of the shield, passing right over the cowering woman's back, and wrecking havoc in the laboratory behind her. Immediately behind the heat came the remaining shards of shrapnel as the device completely exploded.

Guinevere cried in pain as the fire singed her back, her skin blistering, and the knive-like metal dug deep into her skin.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Only the small sizzling of the destroyed electronics in the background broke the silence, while the Arthur and Galahad panted heavily, still wearily holding up their shields.

"Guinevere!" Arthur's cry suddenly broke the silence. Dropping his shield, the elder rushed to his friend's side, holding her head and feeling for her pulse.

Seeing the feet of Merlin and Galahad entering his field of vision, the king looked up and slowly shook his head. For a moment, all three men closed their eyes.

"We have to inform Lancelot and Charon." Galahad finally commented.

Arthur's knuckles tightend as he closed his fist around her hands. "And we will have to make arrangements for her incineration. And think of a way to inform the population. This should not have happened. I should not have let this happen."

"Arthur!" The king ignored the Merlin. "Arthur!"

After a moment, the man in question finally, hesitantly looked up.

"The device Arthur."

The king reacted slowly, his eyes focusing on the smouldering remains of their creation. "Now is really not the time to talk about our scientific problem, Merlin."

"Arthur!" Merlin ignored the king's dangerous look. "The device, it is supposed to kill beings similar to you."

Finally, Arthur understood what his friend was trying to say.

"No. It can't be."

Merlin winced, well aware that he had been the one to involve the immortals. "I am so sorry, Arthur. I should never have come here. This is my fault."

The king stood, his gaze resting solely on the downcast Alteran. "You came to us, because we could help you. All things end, eventually. This is a tradegy, but it is not your fault."

Galahad, who had so far remained silent, finally spoke up, his voice hesitant and low. "Are you sure she is really gone? Can we be sure the device worked?"


End file.
